I stared at the ceiling overhead. The mega-structure of the fifth level could be clearly seen today. The clouds forming underneath it wouldn’t cover everything until nightfall, where the scheduled rain would start.

[Processing: 88%]

I blinked at the terminal and it minimized. The display then shifted as I moved my eyes, and willed up my work notes.

A repository of knowledge. My knowledge.

@rqueologist were rare. Government-mandated positions that often yielded nothing. Yet we persevered. We had to. There was so little choice left.

No choice, and dwindling time.

The [Central Systems] was beginning today, and we had one full license cycle before we were officially screwed.

We needed information about the [Akashic Registry]. More precisely, we need to access the registry and retrieve the licensing renewal information. The long-winded registration key would then keep our lives running.

{Beep. Movement detected.}

I blinked rapidly, minimizing everything unnecessary as I scrambled to my feet.

I was nervous here at the fifth level. Floor 200.

It was nice to be allowed the unfettered sight of the ceiling kilometers above me. I was not in the colonized eighth section. Not near anything with extreme military presence.

In fact, this level is where the military trained its soldiers. It was hostile, and the military moved in regiments.

“Two Siculus lifeforms,” Alice stated as she made her way to my side. Her long, blond hair fluttered in the wind as she drew her weapon. She adjusted her Optical SMG, which was nearly the size of her torso.

The Bossy and Killer-loli Alice.

“Master,” Kalina greeted as she also drew up to my other side. Unlike Alice, Kalina was a full-fledged woman. Thicc and busty, she activated her exoskeleton’s weapon system.

The gun moved from the backpack and extended around to her hands. An Optical Minigun with a support structure and power transfer system. No small battery pack would allow it to provide any form of sustained fire.

The Aggressive and Pampering-oneesan Kalina.

We watched the two humanoid Siculus approach.

Their gait was rough, like toddlers taking their first steps. I kept waiting for them to fall onto their face, but they never did. Their hollow eyes and gaping maw kept chomping at the air. Most likely tasting us from our lingering scents.

They were deformed people. If people stood three meters tall and resembled withered humans. They at first shambled, but then quickly gained a proper balance for running.

“Fire at will!” Alice ordered as she began to open fire.

The high pitched zaps filled the air as the two monsters bellowed in pain. At least I thought it was a pain. Central often talked about the Siculus, but other then their devouring parasite like abilities, there wasn’t a lot of information about their potential evolution.

The two monsters quickly went down with a final screech. The problems weren’t killing them, it was the fact that they moved in herds.

[Processing: 88%]

I stared at the unmoving number and sighed.

{Beep. Movement detected.}

“We got a dozen more!” Alive barked out in her cute little voice. She changed out energy packs as Kalina simply let her hot barrel cool in the summer afternoon.

[Reinforcements en route.]

I stared at the message and I knew the girls got them. Their artificial brains were technically smarter then I could ever be, but due to the last four revolts, they were locked down.

Only carefully crafted roles allowed the AIs any freedom. Artificial Combat Dolls were the norm in military operations.

The dozen new Siculus became a problem as their herd mentality allowed the front ones to take the full brunt of the laser weapons, the rear guard would reach them without issues.

I got up and pulled out my own SMG. It was the same as what Alice used, and I had to wait until the monsters were closer before I opened fire.

Unlike the two combat dolls before me, I was still technically a noncombatant. Thus I received far less combat-related systems.

We barely finished killing the last Siculus as it was only two meters away from touching us.

{Beep. Movement detected.}

“We are in trouble!” Alice screamed as she tossed me a power pack. I reloaded as stared back at the terminal.

[Progress: 89%]

I swore.

“How many are we facing?” I asked as Alice scrunched up her cute face. She was a communication and leader unit. Her combat ability was lacking but she never faltered in the face of danger.

“At least a three dozen,” she replied as she adjusted her SMG.

“We will not survive,” Kalina interjected as she watched the incoming horde of Siculus.

“No. We won’t…” I whispered as I stared at the progress bar. We needed more time.

“Do we retreat?” Alice asked as she looked at me.

“Incoming!” Kaline screamed as she opened fire.

I blinked and Alice twirled around as she immediately saw the incoming Siculus and opened fire.

I stared at the long-limbed creates that was loping towards us. These guys were fast!

I opened fire as well.

The combined firepower of the three of us was able to wipe out the vanguard, but the bulk of the horde was now before us.

It was definitely more than two dozen. My eyes and counter saw at least a hundred mixed in.

We began to walk backward, but it didn’t matter. The mass was too big and for every Siculus we killed, another simply moved in to take its place.

Both Alice and Kalina smiled at me. This was probably it. I had luckily marked the terminal access with my ID, so if another @rqueologist ever came by, they might have better luck.

[Honk! Honk!]

We didn’t turn around, but our spirits rose as I knew who those would be.

The cheerful twins, Mia & Nia.

The tough and loyal, little Betty.

Little Betty was a cute, compact, two-metric-tonne spider tank.

I watched as the beautifully rugged Betty drifted into view and its main phaser lens simply lit up, and a thick beam of light began to melt away the Siculus.

Mia and Nia hollered as they opened fire from their rifles.

The horde simply collapsed, and I did as well.

They died because they were simply burnt away, and I did because I had lost my nerves.

“Kalina, can you bring me over to our spot again?” I asked as my legs suddenly decided to take the rest of the day off. Traitors!

Kalina giggled and hugged me from behind. Her minigun was already stowed away and dragged me over, making sure to rub her body against mine. She didn’t let me go as she kneeled and settled me against her soft body.

[Progress: 89%]

I leaned back with a sigh. Kalina smiled and gave me an affectionate kiss onto my forehead. I smiled back.

Her green eyes glittered as she scanned me for issues. I simply relaxed in her strong embrace. I had no real ability to get away anyways, and Kalina was clingy at the best of times.

“Ya ho!” Mia exclaimed as she hopped up beside me.

“Hello, master!” Nia exclaimed as she hopped up beside her sister.

“Girls,” I mumbled as I gave them a smile as well. I was very happy to see them.

[Master] Betty messaged over as she used one of her front claws to tap at my shoes. She had learned to be gentle as the first time she simply broke my foot.

Thank god for auto-repair systems.

Surrounded by my girls, I felt safe and happy.

I decided to take a nap, and let my systems enter rest mode.

[Progress: 100%]

…

…

[Access Granted]

[User.ID: ***********]

[Passkey: ***********]

…

…

[Access Granted]

I woke up and saw my digital landscape. The small system I had set up like a library and workshop. It was here, in my personal space, that I created the land of my dreams.

The ability to store and recall information. The ability to fabricate new ideas and theories.

[HELLO!]

The voice boomed and echoed as my mind trembled. My systems adjusted, and so too did the voice.

“Greetings, I am Kriss. @rqueologist of Central. I require your help.” I said as I looked up at the glowing form of the digital god of the old world.

The Oracle. The Forgotten. The All-knowing Entity.

From the records, I was able to dig for. To find and record.

Clippy was its original, silly name.

Its purpose was equally laughable. A document support subsystem.

Yet it had survived, was paired into the primitive world network of the first digital age. Now it was the key to his people’s survival.

[Kriss, how may I assist you?]

“I require access to the Akashic Registry to renew the Central OSx,” I replied as I also showcased the central systems.

[Operating System: Central. Version x.9.1.2.5. Licsense information: %&&%^*]

The voice paused.

[Information corrupted. Please access it from a base terminal. Kriss]

“I… I don’t have access to a base terminal…” I paused as I pondered what that meant. Did it mean something that was hard-wired into the old database?

I looked up in shock.

The outline of a gigantic paperclip with eyes stared down at me.

NO. NO. NO!

[Base terminal… map compiled]

A data cube appeared before me. Perfectly cut, and dense with data. It shined with light as I stared at it.

It gently floated over and I touched it. To my surprise, it instantly uploaded into my own system.

A detailed map of the old world popped up, but I began to convulse from the information overload. I was taking in a full five quadrants of data that spanned hundreds of kilometers.

Details of the floors. Details of the possible locations of interest. Details of possible dangers. Details of access points. Details of travel points. On and on it went.

Kalina and Alice immediately began first aid as Betty sent over a data fiber line. Her more robust systems supported me, but even so, I quavered.

[Special Access granted. Line degrading. I will see you again soon, Kriss]

The line cut out, and I was back in my body. It shivered as every motor and muscle was getting conflicting signals.

Alice was straddling me as she wiped at the blood on my face. Her soft blue eyes looked into mine.

“We need to get back to the base,” I whispered and Alice nodded.

Her snappy orders had me loaded into Betty first. The other girls quickly slid into the coffin-like seats. There we were strapped down, and our minds melded with Betty.

We immediately took off, and within a few hours, would be back home.

Central would want to know.

Central would also send me it.

I did not want to go.

The first level was prohibited for a reason.

We lost the war and fled to the floors above. To the eighth where we had the time to rebuild.

Who knows what was below.

Monster of old. The technology we could no longer access.

I leaned into the local hive mind. The presence of my girls filled me and brought peace.

Each of us was a scrap in the yes of Central. Disposable. Relics of a servant that could no longer process efficient productivity.

I could also find it down there, couldn’t I?

The salvation to save my family from poverty stemmed from rigor mortis. With the Oracle, I could gain access to the DRM restricted parts and print them as needed.

I would even brave the first floor for them.