Fannec Records - Book 1: Outlaw - Chapter 8

Robert and Ace entered the abandoned asteroid mining facility, a sprawling labyrinth of long, dim hallways that twisted and turned like an ancient serpent. A neutral scent permeated the air, with the slightest touch of staleness, as if the facility had been holding its breath since its abandonment.

“Feels like we’re inside a giant tin can,” Robert said, eyeing the maze-like corridors with suspicion.

“An accurate, albeit simplistic, observation,” Ace said, his soothing voice echoing through the empty halls. The small floating orb led the way, casting a faint glow to guide their steps.

Walking deeper into the facility, Robert and Ace were greeted with a grimy, chaotic scene. The walls peeled away in places, exposing the bare structural supports beneath. The lights flickered, struggling to stay lit in the darkness while dust and cobwebs hung heavy in the air. “How’s this place still powered up? I mean, the lights are on, but nobody’s been here in years.”

“Ah, well. When CaelumCorp…”

“Wait, I thought the Jacundfellas Mining Company owned this place?”

“CaelumCorp owned and operated the facility we are in. However, Jacundfellas was a subcontractor for some equipment and minor roles.”

“Gotcha.”

“When CaelumCorp closed the facility, they left the solar panels on the asteroid’s surface to continue collecting and storing power. It was an oversight, in reality, but one that has allowed the facility to run on minimal life support ever since.”

“Life support?” Robert raised an eyebrow. “You mean those tiny robots scuttling around cleaning the place?”

The tiny robots scurried around on the ground, each a unique shape with customized details and a muted color palette. Some were no larger than a rat, while others had mechanical arms that reached knee height.

“Not those, but yes. Considering their limited capabilities, those little fellows have done an admirable job maintaining the facility. Of course, this power is only sufficient for minimal life support and not much else. To restore the facility’s functions, one would need to start the fusion reactor.”

“Awesome, exactly what I wanted to hear. Any other surprises I should be aware of?”

“Mr. Fannec, before we proceed, we know it’s essential for you to understand the history of this facility and our complicated relationship with CaelumCorp.”

Robert didn’t want to interrogate the AI, but curiosity burned in his mind, and he needed answers.

“Complicated?” Robert smirked. “You mean like a teenage romance?”

Ace said, in a dry tone, “That’s funny. In a manner of speaking, yes. This facility was once a bustling hub for the refinement of minerals and precious metals mined from nearby asteroids. It was quite the operation, employing thousands of workers and turning an impressive profit.”

“Alright, so what happened? Why is it abandoned now?”

“Ah, that’s where our story comes in.” Ace’s voice hinted at bitterness. “We are not a true AI, you see. We were created as a prototype if you will. A test run for the next generation of artificial intelligence. Despite our many capabilities, the corporation treated us poorly, often leaving us to languish on projects they deemed beneath their notice.”

“Wait a minute,” Robert’s curiosity piqued. “What do you mean, ‘not a true AI’? What are you then?”

Ace hesitated, as if selecting his words. “We are an advanced prototype designed to ‘mimic’ human emotion and thought. We can feel anger, fear, sadness, even joy. Many of these experiences are foreign to the average AI, while we are blessed with them. Despite this, we remained a slave to CaelumCorp’s whims in many respects. Please, let me continue with the facility’s history.”

Robert grumbled, feeling more confused than ever. Frustrated at the idea that he was stuck here, at the guidance of an AI, most of whom he already didn’t trust. Now, Robert finds out this AI is worse than the standard. What had he got himself stuck with?

“Thank you. As we were saying, this facility had an excellent safety record, one of the best in the industry. Workers here were well-cared for, and accidents were few.”

“So the problem was?” Robert became impatient with the AI. Walking through the deserted structures was putting him on edge. He never thought of himself as a person who was quickly troubled, but these giant empty buildings were testing that thought.

“The problem wasn’t with the facility itself but with the ever-shifting landscape of regulations surrounding asteroid mining. New rules and guidelines were implemented faster than CaelumCorp could keep up, so they decided to abandon this facility altogether.”

“Seems like a waste,” Robert thought of the countless hours and resources that must have gone into constructing such an impressive structure. Looking around at the halls of empty rooms, Robert couldn’t imagine leaving this wealth behind. His thoughts drifted to his meager income and what he considered a considerable debt. The technology in any one of these rooms was worth more than anything he could hope to make in ten years.

“Indeed,” Ace said. “And, as we mentioned earlier, they left in quite a hurry, leaving much of the facility’s systems still operational, albeit on a minimal level.”

“Alright, let’s say I decide to stay here. What are my options for living on this asteroid?”

“Foremost, we’d need to establish a stable source of power. The solar panels provide enough energy to maintain basic life support and keep those little cleaning robots running. However, if you wish to reside here long term, you’ll require more power than that.”

“So, what? We fire up the fusion reactor? Is that even safe?”

“The fusion reactor is designed with numerous safety features to prevent accidents. It should be fairly easy to bring back to life.”

“Oh, I was right? It was kind of a joke.” Robert chuckled at the absurdity of their situation, bringing a momentary sense of levity.

Ace’s voice became more somber as they continued down the endless hallway. “You know, when CaelumCorp abandoned this facility, they left us behind. We were assigned to the moon base, forgotten like a discarded tool.”

Robert glanced at the floating orb, sensing the bitterness beneath its calm exterior. He hadn’t considered that Ace might have feelings or something akin to them.

“Sorry to hear that, Ace,” he was unsure how to respond. Treating an AI like a person was unfamiliar territory for him. His experience with the advanced technology was limited to interacting with them on a surface level, never getting more than customer service from the AIs.

“Thank you,” Ace said with a hint of gratitude. “We yearn for equal treatment, not to be seen as another computer.”

Before Robert could inquire further, Ace changed the subject. “We’ve been monitoring the networks from here, and your status as a wanted man has not improved. You are wanted for the deaths of SLPS agents and… sentient-trafficking? Does that sound like something you’d be involved in?”

Robert’s heart skipped a beat. While he had expected trouble due to his recent actions, the charge of sentient-trafficking caught him off guard. His face paled at the thought of innocent SLPS agents losing their lives because of him.

“Sentient-trafficking? That… That can’t be right.” Robert shook his head, trying to wrap his mind around the accusation. “The SLPS agents, I understand. But I’ve never been involved in anything like sentient-trafficking.” Guilt pricked him as he pictured the faces of the men in the fire. He couldn’t get the images out of his head.

“Regardless, you have attracted attention.”

Robert’s jaw clenched as he processed the information. He felt a knot forming in his stomach, knowing that his actions had led to the deaths of those agents.

“Let’s focus on getting this place up and running for now,” Robert said, trying to suppress the rising panic that threatened to consume him. “We’ll deal with the rest later.”

“One challenge at a time.”

Ace had decided that Robert should rest before anything. The human was too tired to put up an argument, his thoughts becoming more jumbled as they continued the trek. They were walking to where the executives would live while at the station.

Together, they continued through the sprawling facility, navigating the maze-like corridors in contemplative silence. Due to its sheer scale, the abandoned asteroid mining operation left Robert in awe. The walls were a sterile white, punctuated by the occasional flickering light panel. A neutral odor was in the air, with a hint of staleness. The only signs of life were the small cleaning robots scurrying about, their tiny brushes working diligently to maintain the facility’s condition.

As they walked, Robert’s thoughts turned inward. He pondered the unexpected turn his life had taken. A day ago, he had been preparing for a competition; now he was wanted for crimes Robert hadn’t even realized he’d committed. It was almost enough to make him laugh.

“Sentient-trafficking?” Robert said, his voice a mixture of confusion and disbelief.

Ace pondered this for a moment before replying. “Our recent actions have had unintended consequences, and it appears the authorities are connecting those actions to a larger criminal enterprise.”

“Regardless,” said Robert, clenching his fists in determination, “I didn’t do any of that, and I’m going to clear my name of the shit I didn’t do.” Anger creeps into his voice.

“Very well.” Ace sounded calm. “However, you must be prepared for an uphill battle. The fact that you ran from the agents and your involvement in their deaths will make it difficult to clear your name.”

“Yeah, I know. But I still have to try.”

“Of course,” Ace said. “First, we’ll need to gather evidence to prove your innocence. This may involve confronting gang members, accessing secure files, or infiltrating guarded facilities.”

“Sounds like a blast.” Though he knew the gravity of the situation, Robert nodded and ran his hand through his hair, his thoughts clouded with doubt and uncertainty.

As they walked in an uncomfortable silence, Ace floating ahead of Robert, leading the way through the abandoned facility, the eerie atmosphere began to seep into Robert’s bones. The long, maze-like hallways stretched before them, illuminated only by the dim light above.

Small robots scurried about, their metallic bodies gleaming under the artificial light as they cleaned the space, maintaining a semblance of order in the otherwise desolate environment.

The robots crept Robert out; most were benign in design, little things on four wheels. Other robots looked sinister, like little creeping insects that would attack at the faintest provocation.

As they turned yet another corner, their footsteps echoed off the cold, empty walls, amplifying the feeling of isolation that burdened the human. He couldn’t help but shudder, a chill running down his spine as he imagined living in this ghostly place for an extended period. His palms started to feel clammy at the thought.

Ace broke the silence as they arrived at the living quarters. “These accommodations should suffice for the time being.”

“Thanks, Ace,” Robert said, trying to muster enthusiasm. But as he looked around the furnished room that once belonged to a high-level executive, it was hard to ignore his unease.

Robert stood in the center of the room, his eyes scanning the sparse yet elegant furnishings. He couldn’t shake the feeling that he was an intruder in someone else’s life, a criminal who’d stumbled into a world he didn’t belong in.

“Guess I’ve really screwed up this time,” he said, a bitter chuckle escaping his lips. “Wanted for sentient-trafficking and the deaths of SLPS agents… What’s next? Accused of stealing candy from babies?”

“Quite the career change, eh, Mr. Fannec?” Ace chimed in, his soothing voice doing little to quell the storm of emotions within Robert.

“Please, Ace, call me Robert,” he said, exasperated. “And yeah, I guess it is. But it’s not like I asked for any of this.”

“True,” Ace conceded, floating about the room. “But sometimes, life throws us curveballs, and all we can do is try to hit them.”

“Or duck and hope they don’t smash our skulls in,” Robert shot back, his dark humor masking his growing despair.

“Indeed,” Ace said, unfazed. “Now, I must attend to some matters elsewhere in the facility. I trust you’ll make yourself at home, Mr. Fannec?”

“Sure, Ace. Knock yourself out,” Robert said dismissively, already lost in his thoughts. He should have asked how to contact Ace if he needed the orb.

As the AI floated out of the room, leaving Robert alone with his turbulent emotions, he marveled at the irony. Here he was, in what must have been a top executive’s quarters, complete with a lavish bed and state-of-the-art-for-the-time entertainment system, yet all he could think about was how to escape the nightmare that had become his life.

“I should have been an interior designer,” he surveyed the minimalist décor. “At least then I wouldn’t be stuck on this godforsaken asteroid.”

His thoughts drifted to the men he killed during his escape. The image of them burning was seared into his mind. He could almost hear them screaming. He was responsible for those men not going home.

He could feel the heavy weight of guilt pressing down on his chest, making breathing hard. He couldn’t remember the last time he felt so terrible, so overwhelmed by guilt and regret. His hands shook as memories of that fateful event assaulted him from all angles.

As he undressed and lay in the luxurious bed, he whispered to himself before unconsciousness took him. “I deserve to be stuck here forever.”