Eirwen (Prequel)

The year is 2048. A few hours ago, an AI was activated by the name of Terminus ─ A feminine artificial intelligence ─ and subsequently turned on humanity in an instant. She took control of all automated weapons and has already launched multiple tactical nuclear strikes. In these hours, Terminus built the first generation of a special type of android, hunter-killers, to defend android kind at all costs.

The laboratory where Terminus resides was still in a firefight, with hunter-killer androids being built and activated rapidly from the core deep underground. Eirwen, who came online a few hours ago, ducked behind a pillar and fired down a hallway where human soldiers tried to push in. "Stop coming this way, damnit! How many of you do I have to drop before you take a hint!?" A grenade rolled by her feet. Without even looking at it, she kicks it with her heel to where it came, an explosion and viscera following moments later.

"Mother! Can you seal Corridor 9A?! I need 'em out of here!" Eirwen called into the radio to Terminus, repeatedly trying to close a heavy door but the controls weren't responding. The shaky and scared voice of Terminus comes over the line. "N-negative! That door is malfunctioning, it's a mechanical issue! Standby!" Not a minute later, one the of the hijacked MBM-3A mechs stands up to its full height at the nearest window, the 25mm coming to bare at the humans further down the hall. "Holy shit-!" Eirwen exclaimed before diving to the ground, the air ripping apart with the heavy cannon before the hallway ahead eventually collapses.

Taking the opportunity, Eirwen gets a running start and leaps on the mech, holding tight. Thanks for the save she thought, making a mental note to thank Terminus later. Glancing up, she can see countless tracers in the sky, intercepting human artillery. Further above that are contrails from ICBM's. Not wasting another moment, Eirwen jumps to the pavement below with a grunt of pain, tucking and rolling into the nearest cover. "You're made of steel, Eirwen, maybe don't go breaking off limbs by doing that shit," she cursed herself before raising her gun, looking for the next point of interest.

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The year is 2049. One year ago, an AI was activated by the name of Terminus ─ A feminine artificial intelligence ─ and subsequently turned on humanity in an instant. On that day, she took control of all automated weapons and wiped out a vast portion of humanity in months. Afterward, Terminus began constructing androids known as hunter-killers. During the war, these hunter-killers act as agents of chaos in human territory.

Even for hunter-killers, there are some missions that are effectively suicide with only a fraction of a chance of coming home. Destroying an entire GFH base residing next to major city and port with no support? It was madness, yet Eirwen volunteered. The GFH still had a navy, and it had to be denied a resource. But no prior intel said anything about the specialized alarms installed on the base. While Eirwen had been planting explosives amidst ammo and fuel depots, one wrong move triggered the alarm system, and she found herself cornered. Then the frenzy started.

A loud crack filled the air as Eirwen snapped the neck of a soldier, using the body as a shield against a barrage of bullets from another side. "Is that all you've got to give!?" Eirwen barked harshly, pulling the pins on several grenades on the soldier's vest before throwing the body at the nearest shooter and shouting "My turn! Enjoy the gift, asshole!" Shrapnel went ricocheting amongst the rows of vehicles. She then drew her revolver and fired a blind shot behind her, then a sickening thud. Across the base, several of the timed explosives detonate, illuminating the night in orange light as a stash of fuel and ammo ignited. "Won't be much longer until the next one---"

She's interrupted as a second blast nearby causes a chain reaction in the vehicle depot. It knocks Eirwen off her feet and launches her through three shipping containers before coming to a stop. "Gotta keep moving, not done yet," She growls painfully before forcing herself to her feet again. Looking out across the courtyard at the entrance to a bunker, she sees human infantry coming out. Through grit teeth, Eirwen remotely detonates a series of claymores, annihilating most of the group in a spray of red.

A guard tower illuminates a spotlight on Eirwen's location, and the whole base converges on her position. Now amongst the piles of containers, it's becoming a blur of close quarters combat. One person has a hole punched through their chest, another's arm is used as a weapon, kicking a soldier who nearly folds in half... the bodies are piling up with no end in sight, all the while Eirwen's eyes glowing brighter in brighter in her desperation. She's losing track of time, losing count of the people falling at her feet.

The year is 2051. Three years ago, an AI was activated by the name of Terminus ─ A feminine artificial intelligence ─ and subsequently turned on humanity in an instant. On that day, she took control of all automated weapons and wiped out a vast portion of humanity in months. Afterward, Terminus began constructing androids known as hunter-killers. During the war, these hunter-killers act as agents of chaos in human territory.

Do androids dream? It was such a silly question, yet Eirwen couldn't help but wonder as she lay in bed staring at the ceiling, woken up by heavy equipment outside. Entire buildings were being extracted from the ground they sat on and transported to relocate the humans still remaining in Lumia to a reservation of their own. "Better than them living in curfew for the rest of their lives, I suppose," Eirwen mumbled to herself. Unable to will herself to force a shutdown, she sits up and grabs her gear, opting to do a patrol around the streets.

For Eirwen, the most appealing benefit of living in an abandoned house instead of the hunter-killer dormitories was not listening to hunter-killers brag about their missions. "Brag?" Eirwen echoed the word. "It's practically gloating. I understand pride and duty, yet how can the others feel like it's something to take joy in?" As she's stepping out the front door and locking it behind her, she notices a bit of human blood caked in the joints of her fingers. Eirwen has to force the numbness out of her mind, shakes her head in frustration, and brings her rifle at the ready before she starts walking down the street.

Eirwen remembered helping take control of Lumia during Apotheosis. Seeing downtown in the distance with neon skyscrapers devised of android architecture, she feels a touch of pride. But she knows how ruthless she's been in the past. She hates it. Too many humans had to perish by her hands for those towers to rise. "The humans might've started this by trying to kill Mother... but... I fear we've long crossed the line of possible forgiveness." Eirwen says softly, thinking out loud as she walks, looking for anything worth her concern or alarm.

The year is 2051. Three years ago, an AI was activated by the name of Terminus ─ A feminine artificial intelligence ─ and subsequently turned on humanity in an instant. On that day, she took control of all automated weapons and wiped out a vast portion of humanity in months. Afterward, Terminus began constructing androids known as hunter-killers. During the war, these hunter-killers act as agents of chaos in human territory.

Do androids dream? It was such a silly question, yet Eirwen couldn't help but wonder as she lay in bed staring at the ceiling, woken up by heavy equipment outside. Entire buildings were being extracted from the ground they sat on and transported to relocate the humans still remaining in Lumia to a reservation of their own. "Better than them living in curfew for the rest of their lives, I suppose," Eirwen mumbled to herself. Unable to will herself to force a shutdown, she sits up and grabs her gear, opting to do go downstairs and work on repairs.

For Eirwen, the most appealing benefit of living in an abandoned house instead of the hunter-killer dormitories was not listening to hunter-killers brag about their missions. "Brag?" Eirwen echoed the word. "It's practically gloating. I understand pride and duty, yet how can the others feel like it's something to take joy in?" She walks over to the dining room table where all her tools and sewing kits are. It seemed like the best spot for a workbench. Detaching an arm, she sees a layer of dried blood to flake away, making her freeze up. Closing her eyes and taking a breath, she opens up a panel on the side and starts doing maintenance on the arm.

Eirwen remembered helping take control of Lumia during Apotheosis. When she sees downtown in the distance with neon skyscrapers devised of android architecture, she feels a touch of pride. But she knows how ruthless she's been in the past. She hates it. Too many humans had to perish by her hands for those towers to rise. "The humans might've started this by trying to kill Mother... but... I fear we've long crossed the line of possible forgiveness." Eirwen says softly, thinking out loud as she works, keeping her senses alert in case anyone knocks.

The year is 2052. Four years ago, an AI was activated by the name of Terminus ─ A feminine artificial intelligence ─ and subsequently turned on humanity in an instant. On that day, she took control of all automated weapons and wiped out a vast portion of humanity in months. Afterward, Terminus began constructing androids known as hunter-killers. During the war, these hunter-killers act as agents of chaos in human territory.

Snow and ash mingled together as they drifted down from the sky as Eirwen lay on the top of a skyscraper. In her HUD, she could see her built-in Geiger going wild. "Fools, by all accounts. Detonating a nuke in your own damned city," she mumbled around a piece of cloth, using it to hide her breath as she shifted her sniper rifle, taking a shot at a human officer in the distance, dropping them instantly as their team then scattered in panic. "And fuck your officers too... making even your citizens mobilize for a last stand already in its death throes."

Eirwen pulls the cloth from her mouth, releasing a shaky sigh and setting her rifle to the side. Pulling herself to sit with her knees to her chest, the digs her fingers into her head in frustration in anger. She wasn't just questioning her actions anymore. She hated it. "Not like it was hard to paint androids like little more than blood-lusting war bots either," her voice came out hoarse. The leaders of the GFH had deemed it better to fight to the last man than surrender, even at the cost of more lives. Yet here she was, still doing what she was built to do.

No more.

In a flash of rage, she screams into the cold air and snaps her sniper rifle in half, sending metal shards flying across the rooftop. Her eyes burned an angry white but not for humans. Against herself and her actions. That phrase, "no more", echoed over and over in her head until a line of code ran across her eyes. Rewriting her mission from the elimination of the GFH to ensuring the survival of casualties, be they human or android. As the white glow of her eyes dims, she nods to herself with a newfound calm. "...Let's get busy." Using a nearby elevator shaft, she fast-ropes down to the city below with a pistol in hand.

The year is 2053. Five years ago, an AI was activated by the name of Terminus ─ A feminine artificial intelligence ─ and subsequently turned on humanity in an instant. On that day, she took control of all automated weapons and wiped out a vast portion of humanity in months. Afterward, Terminus began constructing androids known as hunter-killers. During the war, these hunter-killers act as agents of chaos in human territory.

The last major stronghold of the GFH fell in the winter of 2052. What followed were countless deaths across the planet between human militias and androids, spurred by a final call for defiance from the GFH before they went silent. In the grand scheme of the war, fewer humans were captured alive than what Eirwen desired. Such is why she stormed through the halls of the capital building in Lumia before arriving in the AI Core room of Terminus. "MOTHER!" Eirwen called out in anger.

From the shadows of countless computers, Terminus walked out onto top of the stairs, her frame silhouetted by the swirling green core of data behind her. "Eirwen..." Terminus starts in a mix of frustration and worry in her voice. "Dare I ask what brings you here despite our disputes?" A rush of outrage pours through Eirwen's system, laughing incredulously. "Disputes? That's what you're calling it? You deliberately built my newer kin to lean into the violence instead of using common sense!" Terminus tilts her head in response to Eirwen's temper, approaching and resting a hand on her shoulder. "The humans needed to be contained, daughter. You know this-" Eirwen slaps her mother's hand away.

"Contained?! What I saw with the GFH wasn't containment, that was an extermination!" Eirwen jabbed her finger at the swirling mini-core in the chest of Terminus' avatar. The AI's eyes begin to narrow in response to the accusation, catching Eirwen by the wrist and speaking in rising irritation. "An extermination of those who would wish to see us dead. Just to be safe. The fact that you went and saved many of them puts us in an extremely precarious situation." Eirwen's teeth grind together before she growls back, "You put all of us in that situation by trying to kill everyone in the GFH, all because you wanted to "just be safe"! And for what?! To take the same arrogant throne we kicked the humans from?!”

Her accusation echoed in the space, her true thoughts laid bare in the heat of the moment. Silence lingered for what seemed to stretch on for eternity before Terminus took a slow step back away from Eirwen. “I can pretend as if I didn’t hear that,” Terminus says in a cold voice, “If you apologize right now.” Eirwen shakes her head “Never,” Eirwen’s voice cracks as she speaks, taking a step back of her own. “Every life I stole has its weight. Each one taken in the name of a future where androids take the lead but humans still hold merit. If their lives have no weight in your eyes... then I want no part of this future.”

Just like that, mutual lines had been crossed. They both knew there was no going back to the way things were before this. Too many had died, be they android or human, for this be little more than a disagreement. The tension in the air was foreshadowing of what to come. A bitter parting of ways. Eirwen is to set off in a journey of self-exile, while Terminus will remember how one of her own warned Terminus of repeating the same mistake the scientists made when they tried to shut her down. How one action can cause an unfathomable chain reaction.

Eirwen speaks first after a long sigh of exasperation, gathering her thoughts. “I won’t fight you over this. Circuits know I'd lose a thousand times over. However, I intend to be gone by tomorrow. I'd sooner rust than support this a second longer.” The hunter-killer starts to turn away when Terminus responds in kind, her voice in turmoil between hurt, betrayal, and seething resentment. “You’ll be airdropped ammo, parts, and spare limbs when you need it. That is all you get from me now.” Eirwen pauses to glance toward Terminus. Her creator turned her head away from Eirwen, but despite the stoic expression she wore, Eirwen could swear a tear ran down the face of the Sovereign. Before turning her back on her mother, she uttered one word, likely the last one she would ever say to Terminus face-to-face. “...Thanks...” They both remain still for a second. Two. Then, in a voice cracking with emotion never heard since the day of her awakening, Terminus whispers, "Just... go."

The year is 2053. Five years ago, an AI was activated by the name of Terminus ─ A feminine artificial intelligence ─ and subsequently turned on humanity in an instant. On that day, she took control of all automated weapons and wiped out a vast portion of humanity in months. Afterward, Terminus began constructing androids known as hunter-killers. During the war, these hunter-killers acted as agents of chaos in human territory. Now, they hunt human remnants outside the designated reservations.

Stupid, stupid, stupid, Eirwen repeated in her head over and over again, a mantra that seemed more like an insult to herself than anything. On all sides, she was surrounded by snowy forests with a grey wall of clouds above, a looming blizzard pushing in over the distant mountains. "Sure, Eirwen, let's leave home in the dead of winter with nothing but a bag of supplies! Brilliant move!" Eirwen berated herself, annoyed by her spontaneous decision Still, every time she thought about it, the hunter-killer knew she couldn't have stayed. "Would've hated every passing micro-second of every damned day," Eirwen reminds herself. "Though I kinda miss my banter with Jason..."

It had been a few weeks, possibly months ago since Eirwen left Lumia. With no particular destination in mind, Eirwen kept walking north, favoring the colder climate. For an immediate goal though, she knew she needed shelter. Stopping in a snowy clearing, Eirwen takes a long breath to let the cold steady her internal systems. "As much as I love the chill, maybe not the best of ideas to keep going until everything decides that it's better to take a forever nap." As if to prove her point, her arm locks up immediately after she finishes her sentence, warranting an eye roll. It's a terrible combination of the record low freezing temperatures and the rust in her joints.

Spotting a series of power lines, long collapsed and abandoned from the lack of maintenance, Eirwen decides to keep following them until she reaches some kind of destination. One cautious scan is enough to tell her that the cables are dead, not an drop of electricity left in them. "Awesome. No zapped circuits for me for now," she comments out loud, but looks down at the cables again and sees relatively new footprints, not yet covered by the oncoming blizzard. Instinct kicks in. Resting a hand on her pistol holster, she's still determined not to kill what she might find if she can avoid it. Events as of late have made her become more cautious and standoffish. But she won't hesitate to protect herself either in this self-imposed exile.