Terrestrial Undead

Chapter 9

004 came around with her ears ringing. What had happened? She had been outside the hold with food for 003 when—
An ear-splitting crack tore through her skull, shattering her attempt at recollection. When she tentatively removed her hands from her ears, she heard a familiar voice:
"Your conspirators are dead."
Not computing, she looked up and made out the Captain's face through hazy vision.
"Cahp-tain?"
"I know you helped them," the Captain continued, "how else would they Punished have regained her ability to move? You know there must be consequences for this," she added mournfully. The gravity in her tone made 004 quake.
"Captain...please... I thought..."
"Silence. Their escape craft has been eliminated. I'm so, so disappointed in you, 004. You were always one of the best."
"Captain, I'm sorry. I thought it was right—"
"It's alright," the Captain cut in gently. "I know. Which is why I'm going to take you to see a doctor, who will fix everything when we dock."
For a brief, innocent moment, 004 thought the Captain meant the doctor for the pain in her head before reality set in.
"I'm to be Punished?" She nearly sobbed. "No— please, no, I'm not a criminal—"
"Shh," again, the Captain interjected with a soft coo. "This is how it has to be, you know that. For the good of the Kingdom. It won't be so bad... it will make it easier on you. You won't have to make such tough choices any more. Trust me, I promise I'll look after you. When have I not? Now get some rest."
"But a Punished can never be Captain..."
004 was disgusted with herself as soon as the whimper escaped her mouth. As she was left alone in the hold, the shame closed in with the darkness. Why had she helped 003? She, a lowly crew unit, had had the arrogance to make decisions for the Captain. Now she was no better than the Punished who had gotten her into this mess, and 003– the only person who would understand— was...
004 struggled to finished that incomprehensible thought when once again the door swung open, and the very person in question tumbled in, followed by 009, spitting like a wildcat, and...
"Shit, shit, shit," she hissed. "Back to square-damned-bloody one, what the hell are we— oh. Hello."
"004? Not you too."
"Is he dead?" 004 spluttered. This day was just too much.
"I don't know how it happened, it was an accident, I swear— dammit, 009, don't leave him there!"
009 had seemed unsure what do do with her load, and in the end, had plopped him down square in front of 004. She retched.
Apologising profusely, 009 dragged her charge to the other side of the room, and not having anything to cover him with, sat in front of him.
When 004 could breathe again, 003 asked her what had happened. Trying her hardest to keep it together, she told them.
"Now I'm as good as Punished," 004 finished, "and it's all your fault."
She aimed this last bit at 009, and the cyborg looked down.
"So," said 003 after a moment, "now we all have to get out. And come up with a new plan to do it."
"I'm not going anywhere with you!" 004 cried. "You said you would fix her, not free her and try to escape with her!"
"I couldn't do that, 004! It would mean sentencing her to death or a life as a vegetable! Now you're marked for Punishment, you have to understand. We're all the same."
004 didn't reply. She was imagining half her face covered with metal. Meanwhile, 009 pondered aloud.
"Right... we need a new plan. Now that we know that they won't hesitate to kill us if we try anything."
004 couldn't comprehend this.
"They wouldn't. Blowing up the escape pod must have been an accident. We made mistakes, but we're still crew members— family."
"Come on, 004!" 009 had apparently had enough. "They're going to kill me no matter what. And they're going to chop you two up and stitch you back together again so you'll do as you're told. Do you really think they'd bother keeping us alive if we gave them too much trouble? We have to get out."
"Say we did. Where would we go after?"
"Don't you think anywheres better than somewhere where your own family tortures you into submission?" 003 joined. "I've heard what they did to 009. She talks in her sleep. They barely even put you to sleep while they do it... it... sounds like it hurts..."
The three were silent for a long time. 004 had never known 003 to lie. And now that she was marked for Punishment, what was there to separate her from them?
009 knelt in front of her.
"I know this is hard. I don't know why this is happening to us. But if we escape, we can all stay alive, and maybe we can find out."
It was true. They had all lived the same life, and it had brought them to this. If she were Captain, would she do this to her own, albeit wayward, children?
There had to be a reason for this, and if she was Punished, she may never have a chance to find out what it was. She took a deep breath and swore silently to herself that if she found herself to be truly wrong, she would turn herself in for Punishment. But in the meantime...
"Alright. New plan."

With the escape crafts out of the question, it was agreed that their only option was to somehow escape while the Airship was docked.
"If we had a distraction the second we dock," 004 pondered, "we might just have time to get moving."
"Release another escape pod?"
003's suggestion was considered, but ultimately discarded. Tricking the AI would take too long, and didn't allow for 004's precise timing. Throughout the discussion, 009 was very quiet, until 004 and 003 had exhausted all their other ideas and fell silent.
"I have an idea," she murmured, "but I think it would be best if you two focused on getting yourselves out. I can make your distraction, and meet you later."
003 looked like they were about to argue, but 009's warning glance seemed to hold weight with them, because they only nodded.
"But how will you find us?"
"Head straight north until you find somewhere safe to wait. I'll follow until I find you."
003 seemed uneasy, and why they were going along with 009, 004 didn't know. But they seemed to trust her, so 004 didn't see herself having a choice in the matter. It was as good a plan as any could be to escape the world she'd known her whole life.