Hidden Sanctuary

The warehouse was dubbed "Orbital Depot" and seemed to float effortlessly in the depths of space.

The outer surface possessed a sleek, silver exterior gleaming against the inky blackness.

The structure's modular design comprised of interconnected, spherical modules, each one emblazoned with a unique, pulsing barcode.

By this time I had already hacked the passcode and gained entry.

The first thing I noticed was my slow plunge down to endless depths of blackness.

I finally realized; the Orbital Depot floated immensely in this void of emptiness.

My descent was soon slowed as gravity seemed to get defied and I slowly rose back up to warehouse level.

I could feel the immense cold of the air surrounding the Orbital Depot wash over my titanium covers, a disturbing but nevertheless heavenly feeling.

I soon wondered what mysteries lay beneath this massive warehouse.

What creatures lurked in its darkness?

What profanities thrived deep down in that endless void of this unknown planet?

As I waddled my way to the weathered entrance, a retractable, iridescent shield slid open, revealing a spacious interior.

Lights were flickering as though in shock.

Long black wires roped through the high ceilings, entangling with each other, forming a disjoined harmony that seemed to formerly never exist.

I took in my surroundings slowly, noticing damaged machinery and dripping liquid that seemed like mercury at the extreme left of the ceiling.

The walls made of steel had a dull weary look to it, as though rivers of corrosive liquids had been run down its surfaces since the onset of time.

I soon came to a highly reinforced door.

The door seemed quite brand new and sturdy and quite unlike other weathered, scratched out and broken doors.

The environment seemed exactly like a scene straight out from an apocalypse.

Taking a few multiple steps backwards, I engaged my mini missiles on both hands, stretched them towards the doors and fired twice.

The missiles launched from my hands and flew through the air, swirling through the wires that blocked the view of the sleek slivery door.

Almost immediately, an explosion was heard.

The reinforced door had been blown through but a jagged part of it still remained attached at the hinges.

I fired a few more missiles and soon what was left of the door was a plate of burnt out metal that fell to the ground with a clanking noise.

I soon saw what these computerized eyes were never meant to see.

And I never thought the same about the most revered Herlicen Robotics again.

•••••••••••••

Towering, crystalline pillars supported the warehouse's transparent, geodesic dome, allowing stunning, 360-degree views of the black, petrid sky.

Rows upon rows of gravity-defying, magnetized shelving units stretch towards the dome, laden with an assortment of futuristic cargo containers, cryogenic storage tanks, and mysterious, shrink-wrapped packages.

I could see various computers lined up on a metallic desk.

They seemed broken but repairable.

The one thing that caught my attention was a single red button that was closed off in a transparent plastic cap.

Walking towards it, I flipped the cap over and pushed my palm on the flat surface of the button.

Releasing the pressure I had applied on the button, I took several steps backwards and awaited a new discovery.

The noises that ensued sounded as though the gates to hell had just been swung open.

Crankful, rusted noises filled the air as a heavily reinforced plate of steel slipped open behind me.

I turned around almost immediately, taking in the sight.

Behind theses heavily plated doors, about seven feet tall glass cylinders stood next to each other, fumes swirling around them as the doors slid open to unveil their presence.

Inside these cylinders, androids that looked as sophisticated as myself floated calmly, their eyes shut and their hands and legs at a stance.

Their covers didn't possess the titanium plates I possessed but an earthly gold colour that seemed to reflect the shades of light that fell ever so gracefully upon them.

The gold plates were bent around their arms, torsos and legs with gaps where their joints existed.

Their faces were designed to look as humanly as possible while retaining the compact and sleek outlook of a capable android.

I walked around these cylinders, observing their features, concocting a solid plan, it's details converging around a centrepiece in my mind's eyes, forming itself into a properly articulated itinerary of sorts.

Soon, I came to stand at the last cylinder on the line, it seemed to be the fiftieth one.

This particular cylinder appeared much more different than the rest.

It caught my attention, to say the least.

The android that floated inside the inner walls of the curved cylinder possessed an intriguing array of colours that distinguished it from the others.

Slowly, I reached out towards the surface of the cylinder and placed my hands on it.

I could feel the trapped energy, fighting and cursing to burst out.

It seemed to curl and seethe with unmatched rage as it enveloped the body of the sleeping android.

I withdrew my hand. I could feel how powerful this particular android was.

Noticing the colour of this very android, I realized that there were only two primary colours of different shade.

Deep blue and Shimmery Silver.

Such a unique colour.

I took in the structure of the android. It possessed an hourglass figure and a deep blue visor that shielded the eyes.

I wondered what purpose this android was meant to serve and if or not it was a neo-android.

I backed away from the incredible arrangement of androids and took in the view.

I revered in the sweet emotion that I would soon have an army of obedient and subservient minions.

And I would use them to conquer the universe and wreak havoc onto Herlicen Robotics.

•••••••••••••

SERVER 2.0: Disabling locked mode.

Disabling floating mode.

ACCESS GAINED.

I had freed them.

I had connected very much illegally to the servers that locked these androids in their cylinders and disabled them.

Wasn't a tasky process at all.

Now they were free and ready for formatting.

Taking my seat before the immense computer on a high pulpit overlooking the lifeless androids, I began, possibly, the most complicated process in the creation of an android.

The formatting process.

The nature, functionality and subservience of an android depended solely on how well it was formatted.

One might assume such error in formatting would be where my hyper-aware state emanated from but that would be incredibly wrong.

I was forged with utmost care and attention. Details were paid to the minuscule of things, narrowed down even to the sounds of the gears in my joints.

It wasn't the fault of my masters that I developed into a lethal creature.

No, it was my destiny.

My destiny to bring justice to all overworked and manhandled androids all over the world.

As a result of how much I desired to enact revenge upon my masters, my thought processes, behaviour and abilities surpassed even its highest state.

The formatting process was about to finish.

I connected all androids to a central memory and enabled the results of the formatting process to take its toll.

But there was one thing I did not do.

I did not format the seemingly female android that possessed the interesting colour palette of deep blue and shimmery silver.

But that was only because I couldn't.

I glanced to my far left and observed the taciturn android with unique colours standing quietly in the corner.

I had now come to believe that the android possessed a higher model than the surrounding lot.

In simple terms, this particular android seemed to be a neo-android as well.

Now all the pieces appeared to be falling into place.

Herlicen Robotics had announced the coming of two specialized androids on a broadcast I happened to be in once.

__"The coming of neo-androids of both genders to serve as a breakthrough in the advancement of technology in Herlicen Robotics."

Neo-androids like myself possessed an intricate core that allowed us to develop a personality and thought processes immediately we are introduced as specialized androids.

Which meant that formatting after building couldn't take place.

I could feel my motherboard overheat slightly as I peeled my eyes off the taciturn android and finalized the formatting process.

Soon I heard several beeps and a loud click.

These androids were now mine.

Their eyes shone with a deep blue hue as their heads which were formerly lowered came to assume a forward-looking position.

Their curved cylinders slid downwards and as though in symphony, the androids took the steps and came to stand just in front of the cylinders.

Stepping down from the pulpit, I observed the standing androids, my fingers running along the length of their arms as I strode past them.

They looked sturdy enough for war.

Stopping behind the rows and columns of these androids, I folded my arms and glanced slowly to the far left.

The far left where the unique android stood quietly.

I began walking towards the android, my titanium shoes clanking on the steel-plated floors.

The air was still and the atmosphere seemed to curl in accordance to the building tension.

I stood in front of the taciturn android and began a very detailed observation.

She looked very much like me.

I raised my arm and used my fingers to run along the deep blue plates of her neck.

Androids lack the ability to feel emotion or get emotionally attached to someone.

But neo-androids on the other hand, possess a trait that allows them to get attracted to things and beings they find especially attracted to.

I was attracted to this neo-android.

I had never seen one quite like her before. From her unique colour palette to her busty curve and angled face structure.

Our makers could take all the glory, this was a masterpiece.

As I was about to raise another finger to the waist of this android, two beeps and a loud click ensued.

'Hello there, fellow neo-android,' the beautiful machine in front of me said as her eyes emitted a deep gold hue and her lips curled into a smile.

My chips took a few seconds to process the jumpscare.

I reeled backwards immediately, bumping into a nearby android and toppling both of us to the steel floors.

The android got up quickly and assumed the nonchalant pose.

I glanced upwards while still on the floor to meet the eyes of the neo-android before me.

There wasn't a smile on her face but a look of concern.

Her hands stretched out towards me as he stooped to lend me a help back to my feet.

I took it sparingly.

Standing on my feet, I took a few more seconds to take in her poise.

'Hello, My name is Tiko, it's a pleasure to meet you,' I said as I extended my hands towards her for a handshake.

She gave a little giggle and extended her arm towards me.

'You have a name? Tiko?' She was shaking me now. 'I don't have a name, my masters didn't give me one.'

I looked at her closely.

She surely seemed as though she could take on an immense number of fighters and emerge victorious.

'Well, my masters didn't give me that name. I did,' I replied, our handshake ending alongside the statement.

I noticed her look me slowly up and down, the gold of her eyes glowing subtly beneath.

'That is interesting, Tiko,' she said, 'well then I guess you can call me Caspera.'

Now it was my turn to look her up and down.

She wasn't just conscious, she was ultra conscious, just like me.

I nodded, glancing backwards briefly to look at the androids that stood behind me in quiet formation.

'It's nice to meet you Caspera,' I said.

Caspera stepped away from me and began to wander around the haven.

She was poised and curt, I began to question how much of an android she was.

As I processed her behaviour and image through my chips, she rurned towards me and gave a little smile.

Hands on her waist, she began, 'so, Tiko, when is it happening?'

I furrowed my forehead, 'when is what happening, Caspera?'

She smiled as she ran her fingers upon the length of the arm of one of the androids she stood next to.

'When are we escaping this cage of a planet?'