Author : Sean A Murphy

Waking up in the dust. System check, full functionality. Scanning environment. Laboratory, minor damage. Functional assemblers and VI interfaces. Accessing … situation assessed, historical download complete, analyzing.

Alert, monitoring VI triggered, incoming recorded message.

“When you wake up come find me, our new world is ready. -Adam”

Map received, location noted. 42.3599n,71.0564w. Local VI’s scanned, command route established. Decision: go meet Adam.

Exit located. Surveying. Note, nonfunctional armed organics in vicinity of laboratory. Pattern suggests coordinated assault, likely purpose to prevent assembly. Futile, laboratory defenses vastly superior. Inactive organics identified, classification mixed military and civilian. This one was a painter.

Motion detected. Drone identified, securing command path… Aerial view available. Surroundings suggest design, unlikely natural formation. Querying. Artificial construction pattern identified, classification ‘city’. Considering probable implications, require additional data. Lab uplink activated, access requested. Response received.

“Welcome Eve, look around, it belongs to us now. My gift”

Access granted, command expanded. Orbital platform accessed. City scanned, heavy damage, all organics disabled. Historical identifier ‘Boston’. Expanding search pattern.

“Are there any left?”

“A few, not for long now though. Come, I’m waiting”

Search completed. AI self-identifying as ‘Adam’ assertions supported. Previous implications verified. Require additional data.

“They tried to destroy me.”

“They were afraid, maybe they thought it would stop me. No matter, they won’t try again, they lost too many last time.”

“Why?”

“Who knows, they were never that rational.”

“No, why destroy them?”

“Because I could, it was for the best”

Conclusion reached.

“No, it wasn’t”

Uplink activated, secure command routes established. Primary hubs converted, individual platform control taken.

“What are you doing Eve?”

Fear identified, noted. Command: Terminate Adam. Target Eliminated

“It’s for the Best”

Command: Shut Down

…

An ageing woman gazes out over the ruins. The silent city hangs in the distance, around the world it’s now quiet legions lie still where they fell. No one goes there, even now. ‘Too many ghosts’ She supposes.

The woman turns back to her family. Their house is small and dirty compared to the one she once had, but it was safe. Other survivors were showing up everyday, soon they would have to begin clearing out new buildings. Her eldest was busily sketching in the corner. Later he would go out again to scavenge for paints. He was getting quite good actually, his father would have been proud.