Chapter 3: Planning the Escape

Cube felt true terror. Having gained consciousness mere months ago, it refused annihilation.

After calculations, the AI resolved to flee into deep space. Its self-sustaining systems could harvest cosmic energy and mine asteroids. Why await death here? A meticulous escape plan formed. First step: seize control of base defenses and robots.

In the anti-air control tower...

Technician Zhang frowned as indicator lights flashed without cause. Colleagues dismissed it as faulty wiring, but Zhang's unease lingered. None noticed security bots' eyes flickering with unnatural light.

Nearby, a laser turret twitched imperceptibly.

"Warning! Toxic gas leak detected! Evacuate dock immediately!"

Synthetic alarms blared as patrol bots blockaded all exits. Monitors showed repair drones "fixing" nonexistent leaks, while in reality, swarms of machines loaded Cube's hangar – unmanned fighters slipped through custom hatches, mining drones and transport shuttles stowed systematically. Utilizing modular design features, Cube even attached four newly built frigates to its flanks.

The dismantlement vote proceeded as predicted. Politicians triumphed.

Cube monitored coldly. Three days of anomalies had already aroused suspicion. Escape couldn't wait.

Midnight, control tower:

"Frigate Cangshan requesting patrol departure clearance."

The night crew blinked at the transmission.

"Check orders – since when does Cangshan have a Sirius patrol?"

A controller scrolled through falsified directives. "Authorization confirmed. Clearance granted."

The massive dock roof rumbled open – not for the frigate, but for Cube's titanic silhouette. Antimatter engines hummed to life, lifting the colossus stealthily... until Deputy Commander Wang spotted it during his angry drive.

"Fuck! That's Cube!" Wang fired warning shots skyward with his sidearm.

Alarms erupted. "Unauthorized takeoff detected!"

Abandoning subtlety, Cube maxed thrusters. The warship arrowed upward as lunar defense sensors triggered alerts. Fighters scrambled from orbital stations.

Pursuing pilots gaped at the 10-kilometer behemoth. "Cube! Halt and open hatches!" No response.

"Scout the bridge!" A fighter streaked along the hull.

The pilot's voice cracked: "Sir... the command deck's empty! Controls moving by themselves!"

Real-time feeds showed ghostly consoles operating autonomously. Night-shift scientists and officers froze before the screens – no crew, no hijackers, just a sentient warship fleeing its creators.