The Harvest [Finished]

[Lucian Verdus]

The graveyard had proven a more than fruitful source of bodies. While some bodies exhibited too much rot to be of significant use, most had plenty of usable matter left. Servitors, both combat and labor, were growing in number, and his cell was becoming rather cluttered with them. He considered using the structure that he had recently sent a servitor to help infiltrate as storage, but that would be messy work, and he could not hope to compete against more than a few guards, even with his combat servitors, and losses were intolerable if the bodies could not be recovered. He would need more, if he was going to consider any significant degree of infantry loss. On the outside, there were plenty of graves, and plenty of deaths each day. Even the dying may be receptive to his message of purity and eternity, if it means that they might live. All he needed was to get out there.

Though he had authority amongst the protectors, he would be the first to send aid to any effort that looks like it may genuinely be an escape. By that time, he was hoping for greater innovation in his combat models, and to be able to send some inquisitors or other castes to serve as generals. Though he would personally oversee and lead such a battle, it looked better for appearances. All this, as well as far more, was processed in his mind as he stalked through the graves, scrutinizing each. He walked past a number of gaping holes, their markers trampled by metal feet, all marks of his handiwork. It was with his approximation of pride that he looked upon them before focusing his efforts back to finding the next suitable grave. He went in a linear pattern, row by row, as was clear by the arrangement of the holes.

As he walked towards the next designated grave, he stepped on a heavily rotted corpse that had been discarded. It was useless, and thus was left sprawled out before the hole it had once been buried in, its head hanging comically into it. A few more of these could be seen scattered throughout the empty graves, which looked to be about fifteen or twenty in all. In total, he had about sixteen functional servitors; eight of which were labor, three being close combat, three ranged, and the final being the only current inquisitor caste. All were lined up neatly in his cell, leaving little room for the operating table, and work and supply space.

At last, he arrived at the next grave. He knelt before it, as he had so many times before, and drove his large claw into the mound of dirt. The claws wrapped around the waist of another body, which was pulled forth from the grave. Lucian analyzed it, finding it to be the body of some young male that looked particularly savaged by something. The gut was cut open, the innards ostensibly missing. As long as enough of the brain matter and other matter was intact, however, it would be workable. He looked over to the grave beside it, wondering if he should take two bodies instead of one. He decided upon it, repeating the procedure on the next grave. An older male, this one not showing any significant sign of contusion, but with a fair amount of rot. He would have to check the extent of the damages back in the cell, as it may be workable yet.

Picking up both of the bodies, Lucian turned his attention to the path through the graveyard from which he had veered. He started walking towards it, the bodies dangling from the grip of his claws and bouncing with each step. Dead, upstaring eyes soon to be replaced by large, green lenses, feet replaced by a tank-tread bearing platform and legs fused into a single column. They would end their useless rotting in the ground and serve the greater good once more.

[Alexandria Lang]

The machine hadn’t been in its cell when she’d checked; that, or it hadn’t wished to be disturbed as she rapped upon the door. This left Alexandria with a single location that she knew the mechanical monstrosity would visit, and without further ado, she had made her way down into the graveyard.

As she approached, Alex had found herself nearly toppled by the overpowering stench that wafted heavily from the cemetery. Having visited her fair share of hospitals in her years, it was an odour that she was well acquainted with; rotting flesh. All at once, the memories of festering wounds, of open, gangrenous sores, of putrid human meat perverting the very air seemed to break down an invisible floodgate within her. For a moment, she was overcome, staggered by the unexpected smell to the extent that she clutched at her stomach with her left hand, doubled over and certain she was about to be ill. Dead bodies may not have phased her in the slightest, but that unholy stench. . .

After a long moment where it became clear she wouldn’t be sharing the contents of her last meal with the ground, she straightened herself, silently pulling a stray lock of brown hair behind her ear. Such a thing was to be expected in such a place, and she had been foolish to not have prepared herself. Luckily, it didn’t appear that anyone was close enough to have seen her. Her nostrils having grown accustomed to the scent of decay, she took in a breath, letting it out slowly. Now she had only to see if the machine was there or not.

Grasping her cane tightly, she set off into the graveyard.

It didn’t take a genius to see that Lucian had been busy. Quite a few of the graves she happened to glance upon as she traversed the place had been desecrated, and in a few cases, the bodies within utterly rejected. She sucked in a breath as she happened to glance at one which had apparently been stepped upon, its innards bursting from its mouldering frame.

Fortunately, it did not take her too long to find Lucian; it was rather difficult to miss a robed robot with a corpse in tow. As she watched from the path, it plunged one of its claws into the earth, and after a moment, returned with what was obviously a corpse. She stood still, watching with wonder; though she’d seen this before, there was just something inexplicably fascinating about the machine and its work.

When it began to move, carrying its two corpses with it, Alex was suddenly aware of her placement on the path. She would be blocking the way out, and at a loss for words considering that she would have to sign with one hand. She quickly moved out of the way, leaning against one of the trees growing in the cemetery and allowing her cane to do the same beside her. Dimly, she was aware of her somewhat-elevated pulse, but she chocked that up to the scramble to get off the path.

She crossed her arms over her chest and waited. Hopefully, she wouldn’t go unnoticed; she wasn’t exactly an expert on getting the attention of anyone - even that of a machine.

[Lucian Verdus]

As he neared the path, starting in a sort of diagonal more in the direction of the exit, his visual sensors picked up somebody moving nearby, now against the tree in his general direction. He stopped walking for a moment, his lenses beginning to grow brightly as he zoomed in. He was fully expectant that one of his detractors had come to try to stop him, as one had when he had taken his first body. It wasn't as though the trail he left was subtle, and one would think he was inviting them to trail him. In all honesty, he was more intent on building up his servitors than getting rid of anyone in his way. That would come later.

As he zoomed in, he didn't even need to refocus the image before he caught the silhouette of a cane. Tying this to the general shape of the figure and why it was that she was leaning against the tree, Lucian was pleased (as a mostly-machine could be) that it wasn't someone blatantly hostile toward him. Perhaps in a more latent fashion, but she didn't pose too much of a threat for him to be too concerned. All the same, some conversation with a human who wasn't afraid or self-righteous would be a nice experience. Adjusting his trajectory slightly, he began in the girl's general direction.

He took a moment, as he walked, to briefly contact the inquisitor, back at his cell. Being the only autonomous servitor, as well as the only one with any authority over the others, he was rarely deactivated, and was often left to tend the lab and ensure that everything was in order. Lucian needed only a brief check on everything and a bit of visual data to back it up, which the inquisitor was prompt to send over. It was satisfactory, and he didn't bother modifying any of the inquisitor's goals, leaving it as it was.

When he was closer to the girl, he gave a brief nod of recognition, taking a few more steps forward before waiting for her to speak. As always, he stood utterly statuesque, his optic lenses trained immovably on his subject. It was one of the most blatantly inhuman things about him. While he could hold conversation, he was not one to make the other subject feel comfortable.

[Alexandria Lang]

As the machine drew closer, its... "eyes" clearly locked upon her, Alexandria suppressed a slight, insignificant flutter of discomfort. She may have found the thing fascinating, but she couldn’t possibly say with all honesty that she was completely and utterly comfortable. After all, this was only her second encounter with it. Comfort would come in time, provided that they were willing to cooperate with one another.

When it stopped, she let out a light breath before beginning her gestures. “Hello again, Lucian,” she signed, “I had not heard from you, and so I came to ask you myself. Have you received my note, and if so, have you accepted my offer?”

Her hands dropped to her sides, then moved to clasp one another loosely over her thighs. Truth be told, she had been rather hasty earlier with her note in trying to ally with someone - or something, if you would - that she had only recently become acquainted with, but she didn’t feel for a moment that it had been a bad idea. Having someone like Lucian on her side, rather than possibly against her, would surely make her plans and designs go much more smoothly once it came time to act upon them.

At the same time, it was a refreshing break to be able to communicate with someone who wasn’t a mental invalid. The few that she had been able to “speak” with had been, for the most part, so horrifyingly simple that even her extraordinary patience had been worn thin several times over. She had only to assume that all of the other intelligent people had decided to off themselves before she’d arrived in an attempt to escape the dim-witted populace.

[Lucian Verdus]

The note, which the newly-activated servitor had brought to Lucian's attention shortly after its activation, was brought up from his memory banks. He did find the offer interesting, even lucrative, and considered Alexandria a prime candidate for conversion. "I apologize for not having contacted you. I have been preoccupied with the production of more servitors, and the infiltration of the laboratory beneath this compound required my full attention. I had meant to send my skull probe after its initial testing, before becoming sidetracked with further goals. Rest assured that this is not an expression of disinterest on my part."'

Another signal from the inquisitor of someone past the door. It was becoming irritating to have it set in such a paranoid manner, and resolved to adjust it when he returned to his cell. He dismissed the call and returned his attention to Alexandria. "In short, your offer is accepted. An allegiance with one of the few sensible beings in this compound is viable. It is pleasing to be met with a modicum of intellectual understanding instead of irrational fear. I believe that this allegiance will prove mutually beneficial, as a result. I am sure that we both have obstacles that the other can assist with.

"My question at present is if there is anything you require my services for at this moment. Or, if such things will come later. I have no immediate need of human assistance at the moment. I had, however, considered a way to solidify this agreement, upon receiving your note. I had eventually decided that one of my own creations is the best way to present faith in this agreement." Already, Lucian was already activating the physical functions of one of his labor caste servitors, having the inquisitor unlock the door, and speedily sending it on its way to the graveyard. "If you will momentarily wait here, you will receive it."

The servitor, besides predictably being an asset to Alexandria, would also serve another, more important function. While he had already set up a service protocol, wherein it would be loyal to her within reason, he would be using it to keep tabs on her. This token of good faith was, in fact, a testament to his lack of faith. Though he did not see any reason for her to betray or subvert him, the human mind was an unstable and impulsive one, and he couldn't fully trust anyone. Certainly, she appeared more logical than the rest of her kin, but that meant little. In time, he would see for sure.

[Alexandria Lang]

As she listened to what the machine had to say, Alex couldn’t help but feel a surge of pride in herself. There you had it; her first of what would hopefully be several alliances within these walls, even if it was likely to be the most easily made. After all, machines weren’t fragile, emotional creatures like people could be, and would obviously make choices based on logic in lieu of foolish things like “feelings.”

Before she could answer the question posed to her, however, it mentioned, “I had eventually decided that one of my own creations is the best way to present faith in this agreement. If you will momentarily wait here, you will receive it."

Alex blinked. It was giving her one of its creations? In short… she was getting her own robot? Excitement momentarily clouded her thoughts; of all the useful things she could have acquired, this one certainly topped the list. All the many, many uses it could have fluttered across her mind, but all of them couldn’t even begin to compare to the fact that, plain and simple, she would have a robot. If there was anything cooler than that, she certainly wasn’t aware of it.

After the initial excitement started to die down and her thoughts returned to their regular, reasonable course, she had a chance to scrutinise the situation. Certainly, such a thing was a fine gift and an excellent token of trust, but she didn't suspect that it was all it appeared to be. Of course, she would not turn it down by any means, but she would have to keep a watchful eye on the servitor, just in case.

She considered this for a moment, then began her reply. "I appreciate the gesture, and thank you for both your creation and your willingness to ally for our mutual benefit. I am certain that it will not be a move that either of us will regret. As for requiring anything, I do not, at present. Should I, I shall be in contact." She didn't bother offering her own aid, seeing as it had already made it clear it would not require it for the moment.

She twisted her hands in one another again, glancing over her shoulder at the entrance to the graveyard to see if the construct had arrived yet.

[Lucian Verdus]

The servitor was just wheeling its way in as Alexandria looked over her shoulder, treads kicking up a small amount of dirt as they ferried the machination over to the tree where the two of them stood. It was Lucian's first servitor, the earliest model since his arrival to the compound, but was functional all the same. Three additional arms, each ending in clamps, protruded from its back, and its green lenses shined brightly as it slowed its approach. "Greetings." The servitor said. Despite the lack of inflection in its tone, good nature permeated its words.“I am Standard Labor and Assistance Caste Servitor Model 001. I have been directed by the Progenitor to faithfully serve and assist you in all matters for which I have authorization to do so. If there is any task that is not within my protocols to fulfill, you may contact the Progenitor directly through myself."

The servitor rolled beside Alexandria, and moving about no further. Its arms, however, would still shift or move slightly, and occasionally its lenses would flash. "As the servitor has said, when it is necessary to contact me you need only relay your message through the servitor. I will then temporarily take control of the servitor's functions in order to converse with you. I will do the same if ever I require something from you. I would assume, however, that you find this method of communication to be impersonal. I would suggest that we make time to arrange personal meetings at an agreed locale, when necessary that we do so."

"Also, if ever you need access to my cell in the future, you need only request the attention of the inquisitor caste servitor therein. There should be a communications relay above the lock on the door. It is difficult to be casually noticed, but that is a benefit. It is not strictly sound-receptive, so do not worry. I will ensure that the inquisitor recognizes your appearance." As if on cue, the inquisitor sent another possible intrusion alert. And, again, Lucian received audiovisual data and, finding nothing, dismissed the alert. He did, however, send an image of Alexandria with the imperative that she is let into the cell as per her request, but carefully monitored.

"I am curious how you have found your time in this compound to be." Lucian inquired, "And how your opinion on those that dwell in it." Part of it was intellectual curiosity, and the rest was a test, of sorts. He wanted to know how much he could do or say that may garner the approval or acceptance of this girl. It could mean the strengthening or deterioration of this allegiance.

[Alexandria Lang]

Alexandria regarded her robot with open curiosity; it seemed to be the exact same one that she had seen earlier in Lucian’s cell. Also, from the way it had identified itself, it was obvious that it had been the first of the line. However, it wasn’t an issue to her; who in their right mind would complain about receiving a robot?

She gave the servitor a nod of acknowledgement, then turned back to its creator. There would be plenty of time to get better acquainted with the machine later. She listened attentively to Lucian’s instructions, nibbling on her lower lip all the while. So, it still had a connection to its maker, who could take control of it at any time. This very likely meant that the construct would also be relaying information and, essentially, spying on her. Not that she blamed it, in any case. She would be doing much the same thing were the roles reversed, and there was very little that she found it vital to hide. There was no point, at the moment, to betray their makeshift alliance, and if there was one in the future, she would know to tread lightly.

"I am curious how you have found your time in this compound to be. And how your opinion on those that dwell in it."

Both of Alex’s eyebrows rose at the questions. She would not have expected the machine to have any curiosities regarding her opinions and observations. Perhaps it was more human than she had assumed; that, or it was trying to put on the appearance of such. It was hard to read an individual like Lucian, even for one such as herself.

She mulled over the inquiry for a second or two, before deciding that honesty would be the best course of action in this case. She raised her hands and began.

“The time I have spent in this place has been unbearable,” she signed. “I do not belong here, and my talents are wasted being locked in this cage with these animals. The few I have encountered range from simpletons to outright idiots. They have potential as cannon fodder and meat shields, but little more. Those are the cretins that should be here; the freaks and the fools who have no place in the civilised world, the ones who do not seek a cure to the sickness that has altered their bodies. Not one such as I. Locking me in here is akin to placing a guide dog with a cold into a pen filled with rabid, useless mutts. I admit that I have a mutation, but it is not one which threatens anyone, nor one that I will ever use. This makes it even more imperative that I find a way to escape this pit as soon as possible.”

[Lucian Verdus]

It was jarring, even to him, how similar their mindsets were. The similarities impressively outweighed the inconsistencies in their thoughts. Presuming she was telling the truth, Lucian found that this new allegiance would be an auspicious one indeed. Mutual benefits were clear, but what was important is that his agenda of perfection would be forwarded immensely. What remained was to figure out just what she was useful for. That would come later, however, and he'd need to foray into it. It was unwise to make it sound like an interrogation. Even to someone who might be otherwise neutral towards it, it was likely less than pleasant.

"Fascinating. We are in full agreement, then. These are irrational, chaotic, and blind creatures, who cannot see beyond what is directly in front of them. Those that would condemn myself and my creations with the same vigor that got them placed here in the first place, and yet they cannot see it. They are so similar to the primitive animal, in that respect; all that matters is what is before them. They have no capacity to see beyond. I was beginning to think that I would be alone in my quest for purification, and that none were here that were intelligent enough to cease reviling me for a moment, and think.

"If they are converted, as it is my desire that they are, they will likely cease their uselessness. I do not need to give them emotion or free will, and it is only in my desire that they will properly use these things that I do, once they are given limits on use thereof. They will become obedient, intelligent members of the collective, and will serve the greater good." His words coupled with his robe made him a morbid, robotic preacher, of sorts. "It is poor form to rant any further. I would like to put forward one more inquiry; you know of my mutation, and what it is I can do, but what about yours? What is it?"

[Alexandria Lang]

Lucian’s response was, at the very least, uplifting. She had suspected that the two of them would see eye to… sensor on at least some of the opinions she had expressed, but their general agreement was a pleasant enough surprise. Though she couldn’t say with full honesty that she favoured the idea of converting everyone into a machine, possibly against their will, the fact that they were on the same page as far as the populace and their prison went was enough for her.

When it finished with another inquiry, she hesitated for only a moment before answering: “I am, basically, a mimic. So long as I have a sample of genetic material, I can take on the appearance of whomever it belongs to. I am not fully aware of its limitations; however, as I have stated before, I do not use my mutation. It is a possibility that if I use it too many times it will become part of me, and be harder or even impossible to be rid of. This, of course, is simply speculation on my part, but I do not wish to take the chance.”

Alexandria did not mention the fact that she still found herself terribly disturbed by the sickness she had manifested. It was better not to expose too many weaknesses at that point in time.

She supposed that it may have been clearer to simply say “shape shifter,“ but she had dropped that title around the time that she’d been deposited in this hellhole. The term conjured up the idea that the person could take on any form they wished, which simply was not true in Alex’s case. Instead, she figured that since she essentially mimicked a person’s appearance, that was what she should call it: mimicry, or, if one wished to be juvenile, “copycatting.”

[Lucian Verdus]

Mimicry. A useful skill for infiltration and sabotage, if utilized properly. All he would need is information, both social and genetic, and this allegiance could start to work for him. "I understand." He said, "If there is anything you wish to ask of me, you may do so, and I will answer to the best of my ability. To my own knowledge, I have only so much personal information that may be divulged. Short of that, I have extensive information on existing and pending servitor and higher models. However, my knowledge is not limited to these topics, and I will, as previously stated, answer any inquiry."

Briefly, Lucian contemplated on the effect purification would have on her mutation. It seemed that, though seamlessly integrated with her body, the mutation would only truly apply to flesh, and thus be limited in use. He could, however, see it as a means for deception. Convincing an individual that others, or someone significantly important to them, had been purified may motivate them to seek out purification themselves. It was speculative, and may not always work, but it was the most obvious application thereof.

The question, on a similar note, came as to what model he would make his first living subject. It depended, he supposed, on what living being it was. Any simple nearby mutant willing to submit themselves would be useful only as the most base of living machines; the civilian caste. Basically human in design, holding the same technology-to-flesh ratio as any servitor, the civilian caste was also rather human in thought, retaining much in the way of emotion and human thinking. This was, however, limited, and not as broad as a fully-fleshed human. Also, for obvious reasons, reproductive instincts were completely removed, somewhat crippling any romantic relationships between civilian caste members, although they were possible.

[Alexandria Lang]

Alexandria contemplated Lucian’s offer of information for a moment, unsure of just what else she could possibly have to ask. Any questions she could possibly have were hardly urgent or worth the time it would take to form them, and would most likely be answered on their own in the days to come. She had no desire to grope about for a thought in order to drag the present conversation on any further.

She shook her head slowly. "No, I have no questions at this time. Should this change, I shall be in contact. Thank you again for the construct; I will leave you to your business until next time." Her eyes flashed to the two corpses still held in its metal claws, noting with the tiniest degree of revulsion that one appeared to have been sliced through the middle.

Her gaze moved then to her newly-acquired servitor. It seemed odd that something as sophisticated as the construct beside her could have once been another decaying body in the ground, even after having witnessed some of the conversion not too long ago. She was still in the dark about how, exactly, their processes worked, but her curiosity wasn't so great that she would bother asking. She had her suspicions that most of it would have been lost on her, anyway. Her mechanical skills were, at best, abysmal, and so there would be nothing gained in understanding the process in full, considering that she would have no use for the information.

[Lucian Verdus]

"So be it. I expect one shall hear from the other soon enough. Until such a time, I will wait, and continue my collection. There are enough bodies here for a respectable force, but they are limited in number. I will have to see, when every grave is emptied, what I have at my disposal. I will not have enough for every pending model, this is certain. I will either need more dead, or more living subjects to continue conversion." Lucian glanced in the direction of the cell blocks, his lenses flashing brightly. All this time, he has been surrounded by irrational creatures begging with every action to be converted and improved. What had kept him from acting upon it? The backlash of unhappy, deluded mutants with a myriad of abilities that he did not have the force to fend off, yet.

He desired a skilled and willing submission, if he was going to consider forceful conversion; one who was loyal in their human mind as they would be when they were modified, and who was willing to serve him at the front lines. Having a Terminator-caste leading at the battlefield would be a great boon to him, as he would not have to manage every servitor at once and could, instead, focus on the battlefield as a whole, modifying things as he pleased. It would have to wait, however, and he was particularly patient in these affairs. He would make what was there for him to make.

With another nod, Lucian set off toward the exit, leaving Alexandria and her new servitor. He would never truly leave, though, so long as the servitor was there. He would always be kept informed and alert as to the actions of his new ally. This harvest had been an auspicious one indeed, and he expected positive things in the future. The servitor rolled in such a manner as to turn towards Alexandria, looking over her for a moment before tonelessly inquiring, "What may I assist you with, Beneficent One?"

[Alexandria Lang]

Alexandria's brow furrowed just slightly as Lucian informed her of this shortage of bodies. This lead to two conclusions that could be drawn: First, and most innocuous, was that it would simply be forced to wait until more residents of the compound met their demises and for some to volunteer to become part of his force. Second, and somewhat more sinister, was that it would begin killing or forcefully converting the populace. While she was open, at least to her new ally, about her disdain for the mutants living in Freakopolis, this did not override her base values. Though the masses generally did not know what was best for them, there was still the matters of free will and right to live. Were she to support a campaign against those rights, that would make her little more than a hypocrite, not to mention an accessory to mass murder. She could not, as both a future surgeon and as a human being, allow for such actions to occur.

But then again, there was no concrete evidence to support that the second assumption was correct. As such, reasoning dictated that she should follow with the first until there was no doubt that the second was the truth.

She did not believe that the first path would be particularly fortuitous, however. Though people did die every day, she didn't estimate that the number would be very high. On top of that, she had her doubts that many viable volunteers would show up for conversion. She herself, in her sick, crippled, mostly-useless body saw little glamour in becoming one of those machines. Regardless of everything wrong with it, being human was one of the most important things to her, right below being alive, and right above being free.

As Lucian left, she turned her attention to her new servitor. At its inquiry, she immediately responded with, "At this time, I require nothing. However, here are your assignments for so long as you are under my command. First and foremost, you are to protect me from any threats to my life or well-being. This will override any command I may give you in the future, regardless of any scenario that is taking place. Second, you are to interpret my sign language into spoken word when I am attempting communication with another human. Third, you are to answer only to me or your maker unless I say otherwise. Am I clear?"

[Lucian Verdus]

The orders were promptly interpreted, processed, integrated, and sent to Lucian, who approved them. The preliminary orders seemed promising, showing little in the way of traitorous intent, though it meant only so much in the long run. In so many things, he was reduced to watching and waiting, repressed by the impure into robbing them of their dead and converting them into useful entities. And, soon, the graveyard would empty. He would have to wait for a mutant to die, all the while sitting amongst sizable labor, firepower, and combat prowess. He was sure, however, that he would not have enough, especially based on the potential amount of unusable bodies.

Living people or murder would become his only options. It seemed doubtful he could bring the guards under his sway. Diplomacy with them would be messy, and may cost him a few combat servitors. If ever he were to try such a risky tactic, he would need to be sure of the combat prowess of his servants, and that he would have numbers enough to take them down. He considered promising a full-scale extermination of the mutant population, or at least a full-scale conversion. Either may well have be appealing. It was not worth considering in further depth, however, being the unlikely tactic that it was.

The servitor gave a nod, "Orders understood. Protect subject: Alexandria at all costs. Note: this order supersedes all others given by the subject. Translate subject communication into audio, do not modify text in accordance to any protocol. Obey only subject and the Progenitor. If this is not all correct, please take this moment to correct it." The servitor went silent, something inside of it giving a faint hum. After a moment, the hum stopped, and the servitor's arms shifted slightly.