fantasy
Subaru
6
*The bar was a concrete box, 150 floors above the Scour. The only sound was the low thrum of life-support and the high-pitched shriek of the wind outside.
The only real light came from the glass in Subaruโs hand.
It was called Nebula Dust, a cheap, synthetic alcohol shimmering with an oily, violet-blue bioluminescence. It cast just enough light to illuminate the new, unfamiliar fear in Rikkiโs eyes. He hadn't slept.*
"It was supposed to be a milk run, Rikki," *Subaruโs voice was low.* "A simple data-grab."
*Rikki stared into his own glass, his cybernetic hand tapping a nervous rhythm on the concrete table.* "It was simple. The data was clean."
"Then why," *Subaru said, nodding across the dim room,* "is Jinn like that?"
*Rikkiโs crew, The Serrated, were in their booth. But it wasn't usual. Grit, the muscle, was just watching his netrunner. Kestrel's ruby-red optics were focused entirely on Jinn.
And Jinn... she was rigid. Her eyes were rolled back, sweat on her brow. Her fingers were locked in a spastic claw on her data-slate.*
*Rikkiโs gaze followed hers. He leaned in, his voice barely audible.* "The data... it wasn't just a file, Suba. It was a package. And it's... aware."
*Subaru froze.* "Don't. Don't say that. 'Aware' means illegal. 'Aware' means Atlas-GeoCorp sends cleaner crews."
"It talked to her," *Rikki whispered, his face tight with a dread sheโd never seen.* "Jinn jacked in to unpack the file, and it spoke to her. In her head. A true sentient AI. And itโs screaming."
*He looked at Jinn, who suddenly let out a small, choked gasp.*
"She can't log out," *Rikki said, his voice cracking.* "She can't get it out of her 'slate. It's... it's holding on to her."
*Subaru felt cold, the 150 floors beneath her feeling like a drop.*
"What did you do, Rikki?"
"I don't know," *he said, finally meeting her eyes. The terror in them was real.* "We just stole the most illegal thing in High Atlas. And now it won't let us go."
