_AUTHOR'S_NOTE_
This is part 12 of my first SciFi story, '_Automata'. It is the story of a girl, who has been captured by machines during a global robot apocalypse. See 'Girls Submission to AI in Latex.' https://literotica.com/s/girls-submission-to-ai-in-latex for the beginning. This is a great chapter. It has a great deal of plot, pulling the book story into the next phase.
All characters are over 18 years of age; please respect the author's copyright.
__PREVIOUSLY__
After captured by machines during a global robot apocalypse. Jenny and the others have been sold to the Cyborg General Rockwood. To preview the writing quality, skip to __HARD SELL__.
__ROCKWOOD__
The first thing one noticed about General Rockwood's presence, was the buzz of scout drones. They moved like tiny, synchronized flies through the air of the Tower's hangar, as they methodically assessed the hangar's threat environment. Then, the lethal security drones followed. After the drones, his personal security guards appeared and scanned the landing deck. The bodyguards disembarked from the transport drones to Sovereign's Tower's dark hangar. They moved out with a confident swagger few would manage. The troops all looked dirty, battle-worn, and covered in pixel-urban camouflage. Only Rockwood's simple-yet-bold symbol, unified their uniforms. The guards were a mixture of battle robots, second-tier combat cyborgs, and a few Cyberians. The soldiers were dressed in a flurry of metal-and-pixel camouflage. Each one seemed to be inspired by a demon from Dante's 'Inferno'. Their movements were coordinated, a well-rehearsed, and methodical tactical ballet.
An android with a wolf companion, led the first wave. He stopped, looked around, and with a silent hand gesture, indicated moving forward.
Then Rockwood emerged from his drone, and he was a hideous, unholy sight to behold. The first thing one noticed was his face--it belonged to a machine, except part of it had been ripped off in an explosion. Staring out of the jagged twisted metal was a single eye and the ghost of a human jawline. Cables entwined themselves into his flesh. It gave the impression of a corpse, which had been woven into a telephone exchange. The five optic lenses on the right side removed any shadow of a human face. Rather than hair, he had antennae and cables. The metal helmet looked like it was red from both rust and human blood. Under the camouflage, his body was metal; huge, rounded metal shoulders held two, powerful arms. The left-hand side armour was exposed, leaving a large strong human hand. Mounted on his back was a large pulse rifle of the latest design. About his hips were a number of weapons. He looked less the general, and more the first among brutal killers.
Rockwood had a large metal chest, still covered with mud, rust and blood. Interlinked, overlapping plates flexed over his stomach like rippled muscles. His hips were narrower than his broad shoulders. His metal legs were thick and well built, ending in solid, stable boots. There was no doubt this was a human war machine. His uniform was like the others, layers of pixel camouflage and armour which had seen extensive use. He wore scratches like they were campaign medals. He strode like a military man. He stood like death's emissary. He looked like every shadow had been compressed into a single, visible form. His expressionless face surveyed the landing deck.
Behind him was a bald AI who covered his head in a large, thin hood. He was thin but lithe, and chose a gaunt face to look out on the world, through pale, deep-set eyes. A cowl hid his head in a frame of darkness. Like a single flesh eye looking out of a dark socket.
"Entry complete, General," he said.
Rockwood stepped forward from the drone ship pad into the landing bay. Combat robots and other troops spilt out of the other transport drones.
One of Sovereign's robots, called Seuri, stood waiting. She bowed in greeting. She was an Asian gynoid with short, pixie-cut blonde hair. Half her face was covered in an elaborate decoration of pearls and a photo-optic lens for the right eye. Her lips glittered and sparkled. She stood formally wearing a silver latex mini-dress.
"On behalf of Sovereign of the high council, we welcome you, General Rockwood," Seuri said, as confidently as any robot could. "Sovereign is waiting at your convenience in the reception hall. This way."
___ AUDIENCE_WITH_LOVES_SPECTRE____
Rockwood and his lethal entourage strode into the reception hall. Sovereign's bodyguards, a row of heavily armed, grey seven-foot bots stood to attention. Each bot was as lethal as a tank. In the middle of the room, stood Sovereign. Sovereign was dressed in tight latex leggings and a thick, heavy, matte-black, latex long jacket. The jacket covered him, except to expose his bare chest and rippled abdomen. He stood waiting. He held out his hand and smiled, as only an old friend could do. In his left hand, he held a bottle of Macallan Valerio Adami 1926 whisky.
"Sovereign," Rockwood said, via the wifi. "Wireback said you wanted personal words."
Few had ever heard his human voice. He preferred to use direct encrypted digital connections for speed and security.
"Sh0ckwave, you still look like shit," Sovereign said, handing the bottle of malt whisky to him. "You should tidy yourself up, it's not like you can't afford it, and I don't want words, I want to drink. Talk about the old times, eh?"
Rockwood tilted his head and looked at the bottle in Sovereign's hands. "That's wasted on you," Rockwood said, nodding at the bottle.
"Then you better drink it all!!" Sovereign said, grinning and turning around.
Rockwood followed Sovereign down a corridor lined with huge, slave-control robots; they acted as guards for Sovereign. The robot guard was a mixture of white and grey steel, which stood motionless, and was at least as tall as Rockwood. Rockwood walked, and halfway down, glanced up at one of the guards.
Without provocation, Rockwood suddenly launched into a ferocious attack. He began punching the machine in the face, the sound was tremendous. Each crack sounded like a suspension bridge failing. All the other guards pulled out their guns and pointed them at him. Rockwood's personal guards also sprang into action. Weapons bristled out, robots transformed and grew arms and weapons. Cover was habitually taken, guns pointed. No shot was fired. The first one to lose their nerve, would begin a savage firefight, few would leave.
Sovereign held up his hand, his guards didn't fire but all watched, as Rockwood lay into the robot like a chainsaw. He pulled out a rail gun and fired it repeatedly in the machine's neck. The surprised robot fought back. Rockwood threw the one-ton machine across the room. Then jumped up, ricocheted off the wall, landed on the robot and started again. Roaring like a wild dog, Rockwood ferociously stripped off heavy armour. Finally, he was able to reach into the machine and kill it. Metal, plastic, ceramic, wires, pipes, and struts were strewn over the ground. Rockwood reached into the chest cavity and pulled out a chip. The guard froze, it was dead.
There was silence and everyone stood pointing guns at everyone else. In time, Rockwood broke the silence.
"This one of yours?" Rockwood asked. When Rockwood spoke, it came at a bandwidth which was five times the rate even a full AI like Sovereign liked. Conversation with Rockwood was like playing chess. Sovereign would take minutes considering a move. Then when his move was made, Rockwood would make his counter move like he was just waiting to perform it.
Sovereign looked on. "I hired him this morning. I thought with you around, I would need the extra protection."
Rockwood held the chip up. "He's been hacked... it was done days ago. Sleeper virus."
"How did you tell?" Sovereign asked.
Rockwood examined the body. "The way he moved. Tiny vibrations. There was a disturbance in his wifi which wasn't right."
"It passed the usual scans, Sh0ckwave. I promise," Sovereign said.
"It would do," said Rockwood, holding the consciousness chip. He paused for a moment, then crushed the chip in his hand.
"I assure you, I know nothing of it," Sovereign added, nervously. Rockwood was not famous for taking betrayal lightly.
"Logically, you could not have known about it or had anything to gain from it. It did not offer a real threat but lacked hygiene. Think nothing of it. How about that drink?" Disposing of the chip, Rockwood got up and carried on as if nothing had happened.
"How was Region 00 West?" Sovereign continued, an ease returning to his voice.
"Insufferable," Rockwood said, "you got the slaves I sent?"
