SAR ASCENDANT / Book 1: Incursion of the INDEN

Chapters 7 to 9

Chapter 7

I try to back up, but I'm between seat rows. Willow hesitates, as if weighing the consequences of action. I see it in his eyes. They blaze and eclipse in a rapid loop. He decides, and he lunges. I fall back into a seat, and I am swallowed by a Holo. Willow's knife slashes down, catches my arm and I feel pain.

Fear. It squeezes my heart. I hear my scream. "Allgo! Factor now!"

Willow suddenly freezes, as if caught in a Shimmer down. His knife is at the top of another arc, ready to descend, his face shows an instant's surprise. I scramble to my feet, look down at my arm, oozing red through the sleeve. I tear at the material, rip it from the shoulder, and bind the wound as fast as I can, using my free hand and my teeth. I shout through my clenched jaw, "How long does the stun last?"

"Until I release him," says the Bot.

It's right behind me, and I nearly leave my skin. "Don't do that! I thought you were still outside the hall!"

"I moved when I saw Willow's knife. I was too slow, and you are injured. I am sorry."

A Bot feels remorse? I look at its MagSkin, reflecting light. It's a trim Bot, might be called a sleek model. I make up my mind. I owe this entity. I say, "Thank you." I think about my response, feel a touch of shame. I add, "Thanks...Allgo."

If a Bot could smile, Allgo does. Its eyes widen a little and it says, "I don't know what to call you."

"I am Sar."

"The odds are that is short for Sara." says Allgo.

I shake my head. "Some things are better left unsaid. And just when I was starting to like you..."

Allgo emits a laugh that sounds like a duck quacking. I think, he'll have to work on that. "I like you too," it says. He says. "I can fix your arm."

"Of course," I say. Some Bots have MedMend on board. I unwrap the wound, hold it out, and violet light wraps my forearm. Blood stops flowing, the cut puckers. I flex my fingers.

"All good, Allgo."

He laughs again. This time it somehow sounds more human.

***

Willow walks slowly. His hands are restrained. He is silent, immune to my questions. Why did you look down the stairwell? Why are you the only student on this portal? Where are the others? Why did you try to kill me?  I give up, content to wait for Hazel's mediation. I see them, finally. Jax spots me too, and he runs. Hazel is right behind him.

"You have a scar on your arm," moans Jax.

"It's fine now," I assure him, and pull him into my chest. Sometimes he likes that, sometimes not. This time, he surrenders to me, and I pull him aside, watch as Hazel loads Allgo's playback, compresses the Twint with her hands so that only she can see what happened. In a few minutes she turns to Willow, asks, "What are you doing here?"

He remains self-contained.

Hazel's silver eyes start to iridesce. "This CompuBot is programmed to be passive. I can change that."