And then she felt them.
She released Min’s hand, shocked.
“You sensed them,” Min said.
Rhea nodded.
“Now touch me again,” Min said. “You are to continue doing so until you detect the machines inside me without thinking about it.”
And so Rhea touched her hand once more and released it when she sensed the machines. Then she repeated this again and again, until she no longer had to visualize the nano machines, and instead perceived them only a few moments after she gripped Min’s palm. She was building up the muscle memory. Reinforcing the neural connections of engrams that were weak from disuse.
“Now that you sense them upon touch, take control of them,” Min said.
Rhea wrapped her hand around Min’s. In an instant she recognized the throbbing of machine life within, the hundred or so power sources of each individual nano unit, pulsing with energy. They seemed to be speaking to her. Yearning for her.
“Command them to join you,” Min said.
Rhea did so and was thrilled when the metal insects poured out of Min’s hand and back into her own.
When it was all said and done, she wasn’t certain how useful this ability would be, given she wasn’t fighting Ganymedeans, and the technology was deemed lost. Still, it was good to know. Especially if someone stole a portion of them from her again.
Min didn’t have anything else new to teach her. Transforming the body, repairing, taking control of standard human AIs, Rhea knew all of that already.
Thus, when she was done her lesson, Rhea turned toward the woman. “I have a favor to ask.”
Min arced an eyebrow. “Oh?”
“As my sister, and a fellow Ganymedean, will you help me confront Khrusos?” Rhea asked.
“I’m not sure we want her with us,” Will said. “Not after what she just tried to do.”
“She made up for it after, by teaching me,” Rhea told him. “Besides, she’s my sensei. She trained me. You give her a proper weapon, it’s like having another version of me in the party.”
“What makes you think I want to help you?” Min asked, straightening defiantly on the couch.
“Because you hate Khrusos,” Rhea replied. “You tried to have me assassinated merely because you thought I still served him. So of course, if you had a chance to confront him, you’d take it.”
“I’d prefer a chance to kill him,” Min murmured. “But that isn’t possible.”
“See?” Burhawk said. “Even she understands how impossible the task before us is.”
“I only want to talk to him,” Rhea told the both of them.
“Khrusos won’t talk to you,” Min said. “You’ll never get close to him. Not until your mind is wiped, or you’re chipped. That’s the only way.”
“So you won’t even try?” Rhea said.
Min sighed and slumped once more. “I…. I’m not your sensei anymore. I haven’t fought in years.”
“But the muscle memory never goes,” Rhea said. “The mind-machine interface sees to that. We’re cyborgs.”
“No, you’re wrong,” Min said. “You don’t know how our brain works. Our minds are human. If we don’t practice something, we’ll lose it. Sure, it might take a little longer than an ordinary human before it’s gone, but in the end, without use it still goes.”
“But we can learn it again, faster than before,” Rhea said.
Min pursed her lips. “This is true.”
“I can give her some weapons training,” Burhawk said. “If you like.”
Rhea glanced at the man. “Probably a good idea. If she agrees to join us.”
“I still think we should leave her behind,” Will said.
“I agree,” Miles said. His eyes were full of hatred as he gazed upon the woman. Was he angry because Min had dared lay a hand on Rhea? Or because of something else…
Before Rhea could consider the thought further, Min said: “My entire life, I have sat back and watched as Khrusos destroyed everything that was dear to me. My world. My students. You. I will come. I must. But there is something you should know. And this is very important. Khrusos can neutralize your nano machines. In his throne room, where he resides, he possesses a special beam that can pass straight through the Ban’Shar.”
Rhea glanced at Burhawk, who nodded.
“That beam is part of the defenses Khrusos possesses,” Burhawk said. “It is based on Ganymedean technology. He has multiple beam turrets situated throughout the throne room. I can provide a map of them, but those turrets are omnidirectional, so even though you know where they are, it will be very difficult to get close to him.”
“Then I’ll bring a different body,” Rhea said. “One that doesn’t contain nano machines.”
“The beams will disable an ordinary machine body as well,” Min said. “You will be frozen in place if you are hit. Helpless for what he does to you next.”
“Then I’ll dodge the beams,” Rhea said.
Min glanced at Burhawk for confirmation of that.
“They can be evaded,” Burhawk said. “They emit a telltale glow moments before firing. Your first goal upon entering the throne room should be to disable them.”
“This begs the obvious question,” Will said. “Are ordinary humans affected by these beams?”
“No,” Burhawk said. “But there are plasma cannons in the room as well. Operated by an advanced AI—you humans react and move much too slowly to stand a chance. I suggest you and the men stay outside of the throne room and guard our back, at least until we can clear both the beam turrets and plasma cannons. Unless you want your Warden to divert precious energy defending you…”
“Does Khrusos have similar beams and cannons located anywhere else in the palace?” Rhea asked.
“No,” Burhawk said. “There are some plasma cannons lining the outer wall, but that’s about it. There are no turrets in the halls. Even so, there are still a plethora of defense robots roaming the grounds, making up for that. They’ll gather the instant an intrusion is detected.”
She studied Burhawk. “You are cyborg, correct?”
“I am,”
