MODEL 21: *SENDING TO PRINTER*
Callie held weird conversations with Model 21 often.This one would rank somewhere in the top ten.But she still managed to convince it to print, so that meant she could keep her job for a little while yet.
The isolated printer lit up and began spewing Hexcel sheets.The reams would then be sent to security, who would test bits of code for any malicious soft and then attempt to build whatever Model 21 had dreamed up.
It seemed to Callie like an expensive way to make new products, but she had been assured it was cheaper than humans inventing things.She had also been warned that questions like that were above her pay grade and so Callie didn’t raise them again.
January 2 2268
Callie’s Opti pinged.She did not remember falling asleep.She blinked and focused on the message projected onto her cornea.
Shit, almost seven?How tired was she last night?She loped across the flat to her bathroom.
Callie ignored Sparx’s texts.She threw her SubSuit and mask in a rucksack, along with a protein bar.
Sparx leaned against a bike Callie hadn’t seen before, though it didn’t surprise her.Sparx tended to go through vehicles about as quickly as she drove them.She tossed Callie a helmet.
“Staying with the red theme, I see,” Callie pointed at the bright red cowling.
“It’s a Brahe EL16,” Sparx flipped her hair back.
“I’ve never heard of the EL line.”Callie scanned the bike.She knew enough to understand the basics.Large, knobbly IceHugger tyres.Hydrogenated ethanol rotary engine.It looked like a jet and practically purred.
“That’s because it hasn’t been released yet.Watch this.”She gave the ignition an exaggerated flick.The motorcycle whined as electricity surged through the coils, spinning up the supercharger.The red cowling started to glow like a piece of molten iron.Sparx grinned like an idiot.
“That’s ugly as fuck,” Callie frowned, her opinion of the bike souring.
“You know I like attention.”
“Yes, you do,” Callie agreed.She straddled the bike and held on tight to Sparx’s waist.
“Ready?”Sparx pulled on her equally hideous helmet.
“No.You suck at driving.”Sparx ignored her and activated the magclamps.Callie’s legs snapped tight against the frame.The bike lurched forward and Sparx flew between cars, pedestrians and rubbish.The doppler effect on the curse words launched in their direction provided enough of a distraction from Sparx’s haphazard concern for their safety, at least.
She stopped the bike, released the magclamp and Callie hopped off.The bike worked fine on frost and puddles in the city – not so much outside where the snow grew deeper.
“Time to walk,” Sparx handed Callie a pair of rackets.Callie took them and grimaced.
“They’re snowshoes.You’ll sink through if you don’t wear them.They attach to the magribbons on your boots.”
Callie nodded, snapping the snowshoes in place.She stepped awkwardly in a circle.Sparx laughed.
“You’ll get used to them.Come on, let’s go.”
Callie powered up her SubSuit.It wasn’t as bad as a Ruskov chamber, but still not warm enough outside the city for the Thermabulle to be effective.
Only a thin strip of reddish glow on the horizon illuminated the expanse of pure white.Callie shuddered, vertigo creeping at the edge of her senses.To be lost and alone out here would be terrifying.That beacon of light and an ink blue sky would be all they would get for a few months yet.Callie kept close to Sparx.
Sparx barged on ahead until they reached the first turbine.She pulled a small device from her pack and cleared some ice out of the port before plugging it in.Callie observed in silence.A few moments later, Sparx unplugged the device and said, “Let’s go.”
“Is that it?”Callie shifted back and forth on her snowshoes.
Sparx nodded.
“Seems like something abot could do.”
“Nope,” Sparx shuffled forward, snow spraying.“We’re too far out here.Any bot would have to jack into the polar sat system.”
