The Constant Star (79)

THE STORY SO FAR

“Yeah, but they didn’t just fuse the doors shut, they also cut the AI hardline to that room. I don’t have eyes in there: seems they want to meet me in person.”

“I don’t think anyone wants to meet you in person.”

Macy lets out a quick laugh and lunges at Siff again. The battle continues as she dodges the blade and lands as many blows as she can, but Macy is relentless. Siff wonders how much of her body has been altered: a lot of the time it feels like she is striking steel. Siff gets caught with a blow that sends her reeling and Macy is quick to follow up with a flurry. She retracts the blade, using her elbows and fists until Siff finally collapses against the wall, defeated.

Macy unceremoniously drops down next to her, sitting on the floor, back against the wall, still grinning, “Thanks for that, Siff. Made me feel a hell of a lot better.”

“Oh fuck off,” she pants, “and get it over with.”

“Not yet. I want you to see what happens next.”

“Why?”

“I dunno. I guess I want you to suffer as much as possible before I off you. Like how I didn’t just flick the energy shield back on when you jumped; I got your dad to shoot you. Pain ain’t just physical, y’know.”

“Ugh. Whatever.”

They sit in silence for a couple of minutes, catching their breath as Macy’s bodyguard continues his work cutting through the door.

“We were good friends though, weren’t we? Back in the beginning.”

“I thought so. Didn’t know you were psycho back then though.”

“Me neither. Kinda funny how that creeps up on you.”

“Remember when we had that sleepover and snuck out—“

“—and got busted playing in the park and had to run through the bushes—“

“—and you fell in the pond—“

“—you pushed me—“

“—because you wouldn’t run through it and we were going to get caught—“

“—whatever—“

“—and then we snuck back into your place—“

“—my mom was pissed the next morning—“

“—but she didn’t rat us out.”

“No, she didn’t rat us out.”

“Your mom was cool.”

“Yeah she was.”

“You were cool too.”

“Yeah I was.”

“I liked Idun, you know? She was a good friend.”

“I liked her too.”

“Macy’s a real bitch though.”

“Macy gets shit done. Idun was too weak and naive to survive what I went through. Or to do what needed to be done. Plus, the whole ‘naming yourself after gods’ thing is so narcissistic.”

“Yeah I get that. If there’s one thing I’ve learned is that I’m not a god. I wish I had a different name.”

“You can give yourself one if you like, you know. There’s no rules against it.”

“Why bother, you’re just going to kill me in a couple of minutes.”

“Still, you can be who you want to be even for a couple of minutes. It’s probably more fulfilling than living your whole life as someone you’re not.”

“Dammit Macy. Stop being likable.”

She chuckles and gives Siff a nudge, “So, what’s your name?”

“I dunno. I’ve never really thought about it…Ameli?”

Macy grimaces, “Ameli? Really?”

“Hey, it’s just a thought, you know. Just thinking out loud.”

“Yeah, but Ameli?”

“Y’know what? You are a bitch. What’s wrong with Ameli?”

“Nothing! Nothing at all…”

“Oh fuck off, I’m going to keep Siff. My name doesn’t define me, I’m going to define my name.” She gives Macy a shove, “Ameli’s still a good name, though.”

They both laugh and settle back into silence.

“This could have ended so differently.”

“Not really. This was inevitable.”

“Why?”

“Whether it was me or someone else, there would have been an uprising. Humans aren’t meant to be slaves.”

“We could have negotiated.”

“We had to be seen to be heard. And then they just wanted us to go away. Who wants to see the dirt and suffering sustaining the luxury? Who wants to trade their luxury for the betterment of others?”

“Me. I wanted to.”

“I know.”

The laser-cutting stops and the bodyguard begins to push against the steel. Macy stands up and turns to Siff, “Well, here we go. You need to get up now.” Siff takes a hold of Macy’s outstretched hand and pulls herself up, using the momentum to follow through with a head-butt that knocks Macy to the ground. Before Siff can continue her assault Macy has a gun pulled and shoots her between the chest and shoulder. Siff falls back in agony and Macy stands back up, “Wow! Cheap shot! I thought we were friends, Siff!” Macy puts the boot to her and Siff feels her ribs crack under the continuous blows, “That’s. Not. How. Friends. Treat. Each. Other!”

When Macy finally backs off, Siff looks up with bloodshot eyes, “I’m willing to die to stop you.”

“Don’t worry, we’ll get to that…” The door falls through onto the floor of the room beyond, sounding a massive steel clang, there is the immediate sound of gunshots before the bodyguard gives Macy a nod. Macy grabs Siff by the back of her collar and lifts her to her feet, “…We’ll get to that soon enough.”

Bent over from the kicks she just received and gripping her bleeding wound, she staggers forward under Macy’s forceful grip. Suddenly there is a slight pause to her aggressor, “Shit! Get in there!” Macy’s bodyguard jumps into the room as Siff is thrown through the doorway followed by a diving Macy. They drag Siff behind the wall as laser fire cuts through the entranceway behind them. The security systems are back online. Bear did it!

“Looks like your Ghost actually pulled it off. Not bad. Too late, but not bad.” Macy drops Siff and stands with her gun drawn on Saturn and Pluto, who sit in fearful shock at a round table in the middle of the room. Their small security detail lay dead on the floor, but the council-members have a couple of weapons drawn. The bodyguard has

Enjoying the story so far? Get up to four weeks ahead at www.patreon.com/stevelikestowrite