Terrestrial Undead

Chapter 7

009 watched her friend slump down as 004 left.
"I don't know what to say. She didn't even give you a chance."
"It's fine. I'm used to it," 009 assured them. "Maybe she would have, given more time. But if you do try on what 004 wants you to, I'll make it my last mission to gob on you like I did the Captain."
"And rightly so," replied the mechanic, gathering themselves. 009 watched them eat. She felt sorry for them, feeling hunger and only getting one meal a day, if you could call it that. 009 hoped they'd get their tools, and soon. When she said so, 003 seemed unperturbed.
"We'll get them," 003 tried to say around a mouthful. "004's nothing if not true to her word, and more than that, punctual. Then we'll get you moving, and get out of here.
009 couldn't agree more. As the mechanic lay down to rest a while, she racked her brains.
Getting out the door was possible. With the tools 003 had requested, they could probably take the whole door off. After all, they had assembled, dissembled, and repaired countless doors like this. If 003 really could get her moving again, it would become even easier. What was the point of a cyborg on an airship of it wasn't strong? It was possible she could break through the door with sheer force.
009's eyes widened at the thought. If that receptor was blocked, she would have full control over her body for the first time in eight years. She barely dared allow herself to think such thoughts.
In the dim light, she looked down at her body. So much of it was bulky, hard metal. For the first time, she wondered— what could it really do?
009 rolled hey eyes up to the ceiling, trying to still her racing mind. She was getting too far ahead, and not only did she need to focus on a solid plan; the thought was frankly too big for her to handle right now.
She supposed they would have to time the escape right. The noise wasn't a problem- there was always racket on an airship- but it would have to be between turnover times. So, they would sneak out while everyone was working. 009 squeezed her eyes shut, frustrated. It was too simple. Besides, the bridge would know the second an escape craft was launched unauthorised.
When 003 awoke, 009 voiced her thoughts. 003 frowned.
"I don't think we have a choice," they said flatly. "We have to try."
The knowledge of what awaited them if they didn't prevented argument. All they could do now was wait for 004.

She came the next morning, right on time, and didn't hang around. She might've acted as if the tools she brought had been inserted uncomfortably somewhere below the waistline, but 009 had to admit she was indeed precise. Everything was there, concealed in a small package below a layer of gruel, separated with a disc of flatbread which must have been from 004's own rations. Had she allowed for it, 009 would have thanked her from the bottom of her wire-trussed heart.
"Ready?"
Trying not to think, 009 nodded.
"Don't be shy."
She got a glimpse of the tools as 003 moved around her. They were small and fine, the kind they used on AIs. She tried to be calm as she felt the hatch at the base of her skull open.
"Do you think you could keep talking? About anything, it doesn't matter."
"Why?"
"So I know I haven't done anything wrong."
"Brilliant."
Marvelling at how easy it would have been to get 001 to shut up if she had just asked him to keep talking, 009 picked her brains for something to say while 003 picked them for a receptor.
"What do you think Terrestria's like?"
"Mm? I don't know. You?"
"Not exactly," 009 continued. "I had a book that seemed to be set there once, before the Captain took it. It sounds like there's a lot of smells. And dirt."
"Dirt?"
"The stuff the ground's made of."
"Oh. I wonder how they keep it out of the King's palace. Keep talking," 003 urged. 009 thought for a moment.
"It's probably different now. The book I had was old— like, really old. The guy I swiped it off said so."
"What was it called?"
"I can't remember. It had a lot of stories in it though. Something about a house falling and an usher. So there must be houses too."
"What?"
"I think they're like airships, as in you live in them. But they don't move."
"Weird. I'm going to try move something."
009 scrunched her eyes shut as she felt something in the back of her head move that hadn't moved since it was out there.
"You okay?"
"Yes," she muttered.
"Relax. It'll be over soon."
009 refrained from asking if 003 would be relaxed if someone was poking around in their skull. It probably wouldn't be helpful.
'Soon' seemed to be something of an exaggeration, because 009 felt like spiders were crawling around inside her head for nearly an hour more. She was on the verge of saying so when 003 announced they were going to try something new.
"Okay, go ahead."
009 heard a click. Then, everything seemed to slow down. 009 had time to lament that 003 wasn't within gobbing range before oblivion set in.