The Girl
231 reported back as ordered at 0900. He was met at the door by the same Officer, and escorted back to the same room. This time, the room was empty, except for a blue duffel bag on the table. “Change your clothes and await Coordinator Marx,” said the Officer. “He’ll introduce you to your charge.” And with that, the human turned and left.
Restless
By the time Officer Adams returned to escort the Goliath out of the facility, Marx was positive he had made the right choice. 231 saluted sharply and exited the room, leaving the Coordinator alone with the image of the sleeping girl.
Assignment
All 231 knew of his new assignment was that he hadn’t received it yet. His orders so far were to report to the Command facility early in the morning hours. When he arrived at the heavy security door, it immediately cycled open. Behind the door stood an Officer of the corporation. 231 snapped to attention. Without a word, the Officer turned and walked down the hall. Automatically, 231 followed.
excerpt from recovered journal
It’s strange how humans don’t have to do things they don’t want to do. Like at dinner earlier, when she didn’t like the food, so she didn’t eat it. She just made the restaurant people give her something else. I thought it tasted really good.
Brothers
There weren’t many mirrors between the telepad and the barracks. Just plain concrete hallways, cold as ever, and the occasional window to the training grounds outside. But in every reflective surface 231 encountered, he did not see his own face. He saw a Goliath’s face, set into a frown, chin tilted toward the floor, eyes downcast. Guilty and ashamed. It looked like 223’s.
Candidate
It was, as usual, snowing in Sierra Colony. The alpine terrain, with its red-orange rock and deep maroon scrub, was under more than a foot of white powder by midnight. It was two hours into the morning when Coordinator Marx got the update he was looking for.
Violation
Charlie Squad sloshed away from the canal, each soldier grinning widely. They had fought to stay afloat with all their gear, and had finally found a place to crawl out three-quarters of a mile downstream. They were soaked, the water more than likely full of hazardous industrial runoff. They had a long march ahead of them to get to their extraction point. Still, they grinned, looking over their shoulders every few steps to glance at the cloud of dust where once the Toriyama Bridge stood.
excerpt from recovered journal
I remember when we were 3, and the lab techs made us cake. Dr. Myers sang to us. Everyone else did too, but I remember his face because he was smiling. Never saw that smile again.
Splashdown
The Private marched, smiling easily, in front of the rumbling war machine, his grip loose on his rifle. He looked over his right shoulder at the steadily churning treads and breathed deep. Ionized exhaust rippled from the tank in waves, heating and sterilizing the air. He caught a glare from his Sergeant, and looked forward again, standing up straighter. Still, he smiled. The bridge and road ahead looked clear for miles.
The Weak Link
“Okay, they don’t have the construction drawings, but… yes. This will work. Three, take a look.”