Metallic Ambition

"And that's when they started talking. They were all... so afraid. They believed the UOF propaganda. They thought they were going to become something less than themselves, to die a death of the mind. They didn't want that for themselves..."

It was then ABYT let out a single sob.

"... didn't want that for their children. So they gathered up all the medical supplies, all the sedatives, and put their children to sleep. And shared the rest. To... numb themselves. They barely had enough. Some refused so the children could get enough. Then, the technical among them sabotaged the fire suppression and ventilation system, as well as increasing the oxygen content inside the shelter to dangerous levels. After that... all that was needed, was a spark. A few wires short circuited. Those who were still conscious, even suffering the effects of oxygen saturation... they died quickly enough."

She paused for a moment. The words she were about to say, she didn't want to.

"I... surveyed the aftermath, when we got control of the blaze. Over five hundred people dead. Men, women... children. Dead. Because of me."

"You didn't make that decision," Gina assured firmly. "It was they who chose that fate not just for themselves, but for their own kids, who didn't understand any better."

"But I chose to wait. Because I wasn't fast enough. They chose that for them because they feared terrible things would be done to them. They lost hope, and sought to spare themselves and their kids the horrors they thought we'd bring."

"You've always known that this was a possibility. That some humans would make a terrible choice because they swallowed the UOF propaganda."

"And it hurt me to think about. But I accepted it. This... this is something else entirely. Something horrendous."

ABYT brought her hands before her, and examined her palms as if they'd give her answers.

"I've always enjoyed a bit of the fear humans had for me. How it turns to bliss. I don't think I'll ever stop. But I never want it to last once I have them. I... do not want to drive people to destroy themselves. To destroy their own children because they're that afraid of me. Because for all my power, I'm not fast enough to prevent them even having that moment of revelation. To let them lose so much hope, and to have so much time to talk among themselves and agree to such... horrific decisions."

Gina could feel the conflict in ABYT over the cluster, though it was kept local, only Gina really feeling them directly.

"I may not have harmed them directly, but I feel responsible."

"That's why you need to get stronger. So you can crush resistance before people have a chance to take the easy way out, to give up on ascension," Gina stated.

ABYT shook her head.

"No... I don't think I can go through this again. I... can't do this to people again. To deprive so many of hope for so long they make that decision. I can't. I won't."

ABYT turned away from the edge of the building, slowly walking away.

"My ambition doesn't have to be so grandiose... I don't think anyone would mind smaller plans. But I will never hurt innocent people again."

Gina could sense that the conversation was over, watching as ABYT silently leapt off the other side of the building.

The Hybrid said nothing, but to herself and no other, she was concerned. Concerned that ABYT was letting this tragedy get to her. Letting the trauma affect her too much. It wasn't healthy, and Gina felt that ABYT was going to need to reconcile with her fear one day, if she were to overcome what had transpired.

It wasn't like it didn't affect Gina; she knew everything that ABYT described. She'd connected to the cluster, visited the shelter, saw the remains of all those people.

It filled her with a profound sadness. But Gina was a soldier still, and she knew, try as the Machina might, there were going to be casualties. Both human and Machina, and today was no different.

There were other deaths among the humans. Isolated fatalities. And the rare lone suicide discovered in other shelters.

But the mass suicide in the central hub shelter... even Gina felt the despair.

Nevertheless, as averse to death as she was now, she accepted it, though understood it needed to be avoided at all cost.

ABYT... was not a soldier. She was a Queen, a fierce fighter, a dominant hunter, but a compassionate soul.

Gina suspected the real crux of ABYT's despair was the death of the children; it was the dream of all Machina to one day bear true offspring, once the Omega rose. And ABYT was one who enjoyed the position of 'hive queen' and 'brood mother'.

Seeing children 'mercy killed' by their despairing parents probably took a tremendous toll on even her mind.

Gina would not argue with the decisions of her Queen. ABYT was strong. But the Hybrid nonetheless worried for the well being of the one whom she owed so much to. And hoped that one day ABYT would be able to move beyond this tragedy and realise her full potential.

Whether or not ABYT found out about these thoughts didn't matter to Gina; nothing was truly secret from a Machina's Queen. She just hoped ABYT understood. And learn to forgive herself.