Page 22 of Guiding Reason
“Wonderful.” Col released them. “No need for me to get my office AI to set up a form with easy-to-understand language for you then. Now, can we please head to the fucking Champion’s Tower without anyone doing anything more stupid than absolutely necessary so I can use the energy I actually do have to help the two AIs not made for it to run this city’s Grounds?”
“Col, you should rest,” Hyran said though it wasn’t what he wanted to say.What you just did was incredibly hot,was what he wanted to say. He didn’t dare.
Col stepped away from Vin and Taros, fixed his blue and brown eyes on Hyran, who wasn’t prepared for the arousal that sparked in him. “I will rest when I can be sure no one misbehaves while I do, Hyran. Now, I believe we were leaving.”
Col headed for the door, and Hyran followed him. If it hadn’t been for the imprinting drawing him to physical closeness, he would have done what the other two and the nurse bot were doing: stand there and observe Coldis Solara being glorious, even in yellow pajamas and slippers that didn’t fit him.
8
COLDIS
The Ferrean Flicker aims to bring you the most recent updates from the aftermath of the Battle of Starlit Stage as we get them. Our reporters managed to get close to the Ground’s West Entrance, typically where extras pass through security on their way to drama sets on the campus.
Relatives of many of the extras recruited for the celebration of Argentea’s Team Three are at this very moment waiting outside the West Entrance for news about their family members.
As we saw in the live feeds, the Guardian insurrectionist attack was fierce, and both protectors and Guardians are still working to understand the situation and trying to account for everyone who was at Starlit Stage for the celebration.
We did spot the mission lead of Argentea’s Team Three, Guardian Senlas Warrak, leaving the Grounds to speak with protectors. He had his Conduit, Orrey Acton, with him, just like he was by his Guardian’s side to bravely fight and vanquish the Guardian insurrectionists who attacked the heart of our city.
Conduit Orrey could be seen talking to the people waiting and hoping, even holding their hands. We don’t know much about the situation yet, but we do know it would have been far worse without Guardian Senlas and his Conduit.
(The Ferrean Flicker, Ferrea’s premier news stream.)
Col was getting a headache. If he was being honest, the headache had never fully faded, but luckily the physician hadn’t asked about that, totally focused on the scans and on clearing the release with a senior physician.
Either way, Taros and Vin hadn’t helped, not that Col had expected them to be helpful in the way he needed them to be. They were too stubborn and overprotective, each in their own way.
“What is going on out here?” Hyran asked once they were outside the clinic.
Auto-drives were circling, some of them belonging to the Grounds, some from outside. Weaving in between was a line of horticultural bots loaded with produce packaged in bulk crates like grocery markets and restaurants would usually get their food delivered in. Municipal security bots moved all over as well, talking to Guardians and Conduits who looked less than thrilled about the fact.
“It can’t see,” Col said.
“Huh?” Taros asked.
“The Municipal AI can’t see what is going on in the Grounds, and it’s used to seeing almost everything. It works with all that data, and now it’s supposed to take over the responsibilities of a dead AI in an area that has recently been under threat, and it can’t see. It’s panicking, and this is the result.”
“I think you’re right,” Hyran said. “We forget that our Op-AI runs very differently and relies on different data.”
“Ran. It’s dead,” Vin said.
Col slid his right foot deeper into the uncomfortably big slipper they had given him. “Ah, Vinnie, you’re always so cheerful.”
He shrugged. “What do you want me to say, Col? It is. Question we should be asking is, how do we get a new one?”
“That is a really good question,” Hyran said.
Col’s headache grew worse. “We’ll ask that later. Right now…I need to get some more data, and I need to get our Op-AI to handle more of the daily chores here. Come on, let’s move.”
“Breakfast. You also need food, Col,” Hyran said, because of course he did.
Each Conduit was taught they were responsible for the Guardians under their care and lucky if imprinted upon because they’d get to focus on only one Guardian. Col had made sure his brothers were close so he could protect them, and while it hadn’t been the only reason, his high rank had made that job even easier.
And Hyran was his to protect just as much, not first and foremost, not solely, but on top of the others. It would change everything. Maybe, if Col got very lucky and did everything right, it would change everything for the better.
I am a Guardian pet after all,he thought, and put an arm around Hyran to get him to move faster. Or rather, to stop the kinetomancer from slowing down for Col.
“Let’s see what the butler bot can make for breakfast. Come on, Hyran.”
