Ava and Aphrodite: The First Human in 8000 Years (Featured)

Chapter 69: Reunion of Father and Daughter

The Major drove Schweitzer's truck across the vast expanse of the desert. The cores of the dead robots were stored in the back, as was the bike that the Major had taken from Ava's ship.

The originally reluctant Schweitzer couldn't help but agree to go with the Major, she claimed to be with Aphrodite, that his daughter was only a few miles away.

Usually he wouldn't believe it but the Major was known as a woman of her word.

Upon conversing, the fact that hacking was enough to take the Major out of viral mind control shocked and saddened Schweitzer. It meant that if they had bothered making a hacking unit, this calamity would never have happened.

Either way, he kept the cores of the Evos he found close to him. If his hypothesis was true, he might be able to do something with them.

***

It was getting dark by the time the Major had gotten to Ava's ship. Hard to see without augmented vision. It was lucky that the ship had a radar because they'd landed their ship in a vast expanse on the outskirts of the city. Dusty and gray. Ava and Aphrodite were waiting outside of the ship, Ava with a look of true concern on his face, Aphrodite looked rather pissed off.

Both looks changed when they the Major stopped the truck and walked out holding Schweitzer. Ava's face, a look of relief, Aphrodite's, a look of joy and disbelief.

"Father!" she exclaimed, "It's you father!" she pushed Ava aside and ran up to Schweitzer. She sniffed, tears started to form in her eyes.

"Aphrodite! I've missed you my child." Schweitzer said cheerfully, she tried to not to lose his composure as Aphrodite snatched the Evo from The Major's arms and started to hug it.

Ava smiled. It was nice to see Aphrodite so happy. It'd seemed like she'd always been missing something in her life, the loss of her friend at the sanctuary had left a scar on her. The Major had a funny look on her face, Ava had told her about the father, daughter relationship between the two in his original report, way back in the day, it seemed The Major didn't quite believe it until she saw it.

They truly cared about each other.

"You really are incredible Major. We came all the way to Mars to find him, and you just popped out and found him without a second thought," said Ava,

"I just happened to come across him. We both have the same goals." The Major replied,

"He wants to defeat Mother too?"

The Major didn't reply,

"Major?"

"Where's Sylvie?" she was deflecting the question. Why? What other goal did she have that she wanted to hide from Ava?

"She's inside trying to think of a new name for herself." Ava sighed, "she's been sitting there for hours."

Ava looked over to Aphrodite, who was now crouched over and crying, Schwartzer was comforting her. He had his stubby little short hands on her shoulder and was telling her everything would be ok. What happened? Why did she start crying?

Ava stepped forward to help but then-

"It's best you don't," the Major said. Ava stopped in his tracks,

"Why? She's my friend." he frowned at the Major, she simply smirked back,

"She's also a human. They work in different ways from us Servs, on different levels.

Happy one moment, sad the next. Or maybe... sad all the time, but appearing happy on the outside. It's hard to say."

"I don't understand. That doesn't make sense."

"I never said humans made sense."

And then Ava couldn't help but wonder how the Major somehow knew so much about humans when they'd only just found out about them a few years back.

But he knew she hated being queried too much. So he'd save that question for another time.

Was it really true? She'd been sad all this time? It was true that she was pretty sombre when he met her at the scrapyard, but he was certain her friendship with him and Sylvie had lightened her up.

Aphrodite wiped her eyes, she stood up and blushed a little.

"Dad, I've got so much to tell you, I need to introduce you to my friends!" she gestured to Ava,

"Hm." Schwartzer tilted his head as he stared at Ava, "Oh, you're the person who rescued Aphrodite! Thank you for that."

"You're the guy who tricked me into sending her to some far away planet." Ava raised

an eyebrow.

"Ah, yes, so I did. It was for the best though wasn't it?"

Maybe.

If Ava had taken her back to Mars he'd have never befriended her, and he'd never be inspired to go on the personal mission to Jupiter that he was.

Going to Jupiter to stop mother, using the Reset Key to destroy the virus.

A huge undertaking. Something that could the course of history

Something that he decided to do because he met Aphrodite.

***

The group settled inside the ship, introductions and tearful hellos aside, it was time to get down to business. Everyone was desperate to get to Jupiter, they needed to find Mother, and Schwartzer was the only person who would know where she was.

The only Evo that was allowed to be unlocked. The only Evo that that was in constant contact with mother. The only one who knew her. Properly.

He stood on his stout legs, right next to Aphrodite, who was sitting on a chair near the centre of the ship's small interior. There were now five people in the group, and while the ship was more than large enough to fit them, for some reason it was starting to feel crowded, as if the group had gotten too big.

Ava would much prefer if it was just him and-

"Tell us where Mother's home in Jupiter is." The Major addressed Schweitzer, breaking Ava's train of thought. "We intend on ending this war, directly. No more messing around."

"By killing Mother?" Schweitzer replied

"Indeed. I promised her as such."

"...Promised her?" Schweitzer scratched his head, "Listen, don't you think you have a bigger problem to think about? I can give you the whereabouts of Mother, but killing her won't help you."

"What?"

"In fact, killing her will ensure the death of the entire Serv race. Extinction."

There was a beat, no-one spoke. Total extinction? That was quite a statement to make.

"I'm glad I have your attention," said Schweitzer, "by my estimate, the heavy duty PC-warships will be entirely taken over by the virus in less than a month's time. After that, a full scale attack on Mars is inevitable." his voice, artificial as it was, sounded grim, "I think you all know how much damage those ships can do."

Ava'd done enough research to know that a direct hit from even one of those ships would be enough to fry a continent. A coordinated attack from all the ships together? That'd turn Mars into dust. And unlike Mother and the Evos, no deterrence in the form of a Black Hole Bomb would make any difference.

"That's why we need the reset key from Mother. That's always been the reason I've needed to see her. Using the Universal Reset will fix everyone. It'll restore them to a state from before the virus hit." said Aphrodite.

"Indeed. So I'll take you to Mother, but you need to realise that we're going to stop the virus. Not to kill mother."

The Major glared at the two, turning them both into stone.

"I suppose that makes sense." she said,

Ava couldn't help but smirk. He knew what the Major was thinking. She'd do the reset, and then kill Mother immediately after. It was clear as could be.