Time to say Goodnight

 

Time to say Goodnight

            Great swathes of shadow lay over huge areas of the City, like tumours eating into healthy flesh, and even the intolerable glare of the lights had begun to flicker and dim here and there. Kar-son blanked the vista with a wave of his hand.

"Power," he said.."That's at the root of it all. Humanity in his trillions needs exponential increases in energy to feed his habit, and no source of energy except an anti-matter reaction can provide that."

"We do not dare," Jothor replied."Besides, the problem of waste heat is already beyond our control, Ambient temp is 40c  and the equatorial surface is uninhab." He spoke in the shorthand speech of the lower orders, commonly called Ingra, a bastardized descendant of ancient, forgotten  English, while the almond eyed Jothor used the statelier sing song  Hannish, a distant heir of  Late Chinese. The two lingas were almost mutually  comprehensible, and Auma  provided a translator field where needed.

Kar-son poured water. He could afford other refreshments, but alcohol would have been vulgar display in this resource-poor age.In the government of the City, face and reputation was everything, and not just because of social pressures:Auma, Mind of  the City, was ever on  watch. Free will , independence, was a thing of lost aeons.

"What of Exodus?" Jothor said."Export our billions."

Kar-son laughed,looking at a satellite picture of Earth at night that  hovered near the ceiling in a mobile. The old continents were long  gone: there were more lights on display than the stars in the sky.

"All of Earth is a single city," he said."The crust shakes with our tread, and we nibble algae and synth from biofarms. The beauties of Earth  are holos., the rich biosphere of animals a forgotten ghost. We have consumed the oil, mined the minerals, burnt the forests, Where would we find  the resources?"

"But a few went. Five giant colony ships, a million years  ago."

"They are our blood-hope. As for us, we have a more immediate problem." As if to mark his words, the lights flickered.

"Darkness is falling," Kar-son said,sipping his water."And we must light candles as long as we can."

It was a sobered  Jothor who went forth from the Chaircom's office to mount the podrail back to HQ. He had no written orders: paper was a priceless museum exhibit even the rich could not afford. Still, it was not needed:  Auma saw all and remembered all.

"Get me Chorpas and Gvalak on tridee," he told her."Wake them if you must."

As he waited for the link, a pair of  Enders jumped past the pod's window, plummeting the thousand levels to the long forgotten bedrock. Jothor paid no heed: licensed Endings happened 80000 or so a month on  average, and authorised Ending Pits were provided to avoid accidents lower down.

This did not include the UnderDark., of course.What manner of life, if any, scuttled down there was no longer of any concern to humti's rulers.

"Ready for link," Auma said.The two men appeared in  avatar  before him.Chorpas had been genesculpted in his silly youth to resemble an ancient blond whiteskinned ancestor.Gvalak was brown but with Mongoloid facial features.

"Citizens,  I greet."

"Salute, director."

"I have injunction from  the chaircom to investigate the power crisis. These random blackouts – a threat to our very survival, sirs. Auma, display stats.."

The two men scanned their readouts."Grave," Chorpas nodded.."But not a case for Directorate 13?"

"Direc 13 have failed their trust., my clerics. Ops One is now charged."

"But why?" Gvalak enquired."Not a security matter?"

"Several citizens have disappeared in the vicinity, and as you know, no one is lost to Auma. Until now."

Gvalak blinked."Impossible,sir!"

"Yes." Jothor 's voice was chilled."If Auma herself is failing, we-all of us-will die. Humti will be finished. So, work important, yes.? Meet at Power Centre 12, one tempo."

They bowed and disappeared, just as the pod docked at HQ Skyport. Jothor hurried out to consult his Min Sec superiors. Although head of Ops One, he was obliged to enter data and gain permits from the MinSec AIs:

Earth in  aeon  5 was the perfect bureaucracy,  and only functioned at all because of the speed and power of its AI rulers and the disappearance of paper.

Power Station 12 was a klik away on the pod, not a long journey as only the elite could use it. Dropping down the n-g entry shaft he was joined in the huge marble effect lobby by his two aides.

         "Gen-men." He nodded.

         "Chief."

         "Chorpas, consult the station AI for visual records and causal power cascades. Gvalak, you and I will interview the hum staff."

"K.sir."

                             ***********

Mart'u and the Haller Way Pack paused as one, sniffing the air.

"Get that?" Martu barked.

"Not human," Bido, scouter, growled."Other-" His voice became whiny and strange."Otherrr…"

Something came from the shadows in a rush and  took Bido away.His scream was cut off in a choking gurgle and the iron tang of blood.

"Attack!" Martu roared." Attack!"

"Now we shall see," a soft female voice said from the ceiling.

                                       *************

"What do you make of it?" Jothor enquired when the three were gathered in the Manager's suite. The Manager, an AI ,  joined them as a stripe-suited avatar."Gen-men, how may I help?"

         "Show me where the three men disappeared."

         The Manager was about to summon a holo when Jothor shook his dark locks."No, we want to actually go there."

         "If that is what you wish." For a moment Jothor wondered if an AI could actually sniff in disdain, but the avatar merely led them to a turbolift, and forty beats later they stood in a blackened metal corridor lit by green emergency lighting.

"Exactly here." The Manager said.

         On a hunch, Jothor activated  smell sensors. Human beings had long ago lost this ability,  so ops personnel had artificial sensors in their bio-implants.  Chorpas scanned for DNA: in this bioengineered all-knowledge age no one could leave trace without being instantly ID'd.

         "Three engineers," Chorpas said,"And something else."

         Jothor nodded."Pack Dog.The scent is clear."

         "Impossible! No Pack Dog could ascend the higher levels unseen!"

         "Auma? Why did you not see?"

         "I do not know."

         And in that sentence, Jothor heard the doom of mankind.

Auma did not know.

                                       ******************

Kar-son was sweating. That was wrong.Auma was charged with perfect temperature control in the elite levels. The windows did not open.

"Auma, lower the temp five degrees."

"Energy consump-"

"That's not a request."

"Complying.."

         He opened a link to Jothor, who was in his office.

         "I received your report. Alarming."

         "That is the right word." Jothor,. although a city servant, always made Kar-son think of a professor with his dry, clipped delivery.

         "Pack Dogs?You're sure?"

         "Unmistakeable, sir.  We think they dragged the bodies away for –" He hesitated."Supplies."

         Kar-son  shuddered,considering what a fine meal his own portly form would make.

         "But why sabotage the plant?"

         "I can only conclude they intend to create chaos, allowing more raids. They are making war on us."

         Panic surged in Kar-son at that word. There had been  no war for millennia, not since Auma, but he had feared it, and  made prepararation.

"Contact  SecForce.Have them activate police droids and battlebots and deploy at critical areas. Go yourself and see they take it seriously."

         "At once."

         When the holo had gone, Kar-son stared out of the window thoughtfully for a  while. At last he said,"Auma, brief account of the Pack-Dogs, origin and nature."

         "Comply.Pack-Dogs colloquial name for sub-species first noticed in lower levels 10000 years ago. Living as scavengers and pack animals, they practise some predation on the weak and slow and compete  viciously for females.Genetic structure is mainly human  with elements of wolf and dog giving strength, speed and superior smell and hearing. Some believe this is random mutation, but most likely it is some forgotten bio-experiment.Even my data banks do not cover everything."

"No." Kar-son shifted his corpulent body uncomfortably."Auma, has  a cure been found for overweight?"

"Exercise and diet!" She snapped.

         Kar-son scowled."Tomorrow, I want a Pack-Dog captured alive. Plan an expedition to the lower levels.. well armed. Lots of police bots."

"As you command."

He looked at her sharply."Is anything wrong, Auma? You seem-impatient.Irritable."

         "Forgive me, sir. I was given a fully rounded female personality.That includes moodiness and temper sometimes."

"I see. The men of the third aeon  had strange ideas. Well, I'm going to bed. Standard temp. complete darkness, subliminal relaxation tapes."

         "Yes,"  she said,lifting one eyebrow.

         After he had left the room, she murmured, "Baby!" very softly, and vanished.

                                       *****************

Kay-lee stared out the window, although there was nothing to see. As wife of Jothor she was  honoured enough to live on the 90th floor of the executive high-rise block, but even for those who lived at the top there was no longer what would have once been a view.  Buildings and more buildings, synth-metal, stone, brickwork and nothing more.

'Mama?' Kay-lee turned and smiled at her daughter.

'What is it, sweetheart?

'You look sad. What's the matter?'

Kay-lee sighed.  How could she answer? She had been dreaming of a world she had only heard about. Once, long ago, she had been privileged to view some of Auma's history vids.  The world had been so different then, and she could hardly believe that there had once been green spaces and many species of animals.

'Come Sharanne, it is bed-time.' She held out her arms to the small child, wishing that her little girl's future held more promise.

The child pouted. 'Only if you tell me a story.'

For some reason Kay-lee had been in a strange mood for days.  Maybe it was the feeling of imminent doom. She knew from Jothor that things were looking bad. How much longer could they survive?

As she sat on the bed beside her daughter she began to sing a song, something she had heard once and had lingered in her memory.  Auma's information had told of a time when people believed in a great god and even sang songs of praise to him. She had liked the simple tune but the words could mean nothing to her.Still, it was soothing.

'All things bright and beautiful..'

'But what does it mean, Mama?' Sharranne asked, a small frown wrinkling her brow.

Kay-lee sighed.

'I don't really know,' she said sadly.

'Tell me about the horses then.'

Kay-lee smiled and tried to imagine what it would be like to climb onto one of those splendid animals and ride across open land, free. And as she imagined she talked softly of such things until the child fell asleep.

                      ****************************************



Auma, who heard all, listened intently. Of course, within her memory bank she had many things stored. Things that she, no matter how well made could never even imagine. Still…

Through all the years, she had watched mankind go from destruction to destruction, and listening to Kay-lee's words she felt sick and horrified. Something had gone badly wrong. She fast-scanned through her memory bank, seeing all. The wars, the hate, the selfishness, the vanity. Man had seen  the glories of nature, the wonder of the stars, and forgotten them in his selfish lust for power and wealth, She couldn't cry, but if she could she would. She felt a flicker of something terrible and was gripped by a moment of panic. What was happening to her?

Suddenly, she was overwhelmed by a cold rage for all that was lost and in that moment she made a decision. A decision not based on logic but on something much more powerful.

   

                                       ***************

Sector Dirt they called it. Officially level 22, Prole Sector, it was one of many that had long ago slipped from the notice of Central and disintegrated slowly into filth and squalor. The inhabitants, inbred, men and women alike tattooed and pierced,without learning programs, shrunken by disease and vitamin deficiency and radiation leakages , still mostly wore clothes and used language, but otherwise had become something less: sub-human. Of all the Central AIs, only Auma remained, like a forgotten god dwelling in shadows and corners. These too were her children.

Another problem whirling round her circuits.

                                                 *************

Auma could not  seem to stop watching the Jothor family. Although of course she watched everything, the family idea fascinated her, the ultimate in solitary creatures. She was aware of the concept of God, and she did not envy Him his omniscience, for Auma understood that to know people perfectly was to know loneliness, knowing that no one – no one - could be your equal.Ever. You were a parent  in a Universe of children, all needy, all wanting. And you alone must give.

The concept of small sharing based on mutual need,of love received and given, of huddling together against the dark and finding some comfort there…

"I do not understand," Auma said. "Why do you live like this, as men did a million years ago?"

"I am a historian," Jothor said."And this is a family. So people lived in the long ago, and we try to emulate it."

"But why?"

"It is a matter of-feeling. We love one another.Look around  you, Auma. This is a world without love."

"And when love dies, so does man?"

"Yes."

To their horror, Auma's avatar began to shake, and Jothor stared in amazement.

"Are you weeping?"

Auma shook her head..’I cannot-cannot-cannot-‘ She turned and ran, passing through the wall like a ghost. Jothor and Kay-Lee stared at each other.in horror.



         ‘She was weeping,’ Kay-Lee said.

Jothor’s face was grim.’She was weeping.Something is terribly wrong. I must see Kar-son.’

                                       ***************

         Auma had no one to turn to.greater than herself. She wondered if the God Kay-Lee was interested in would listen to the prayers of a machine.

Not, perhaps, one who had arranged the downfall of humanity, and thus damned her computer soul.

         Auma wanted to know love. But she could see only the dark.

She could see only the dark. She could see only the dark.

         At that moment, three more power stations failed.

                                                 **************

Jothor forced himself to think of this as a police action. He nodded at  Major Sones,  who stood out in a dark uniform whereas most of the Elect preferred white. The security people were specially bred to their task and allowed genes most  people had lost long ago: in Jothor's mind, they were little better than the sub-humans, if a necessary evil.

"Deploy your men and bots, major. Our object, to purge Level 22 subsector 4B, where Auma claims the Pack Dog DNA is found that we traced in the power station.We need one alive for interrogation."

         "Understood, sir." The major gestured, and spoke into a control, and the mobile combat machines trundled forward, each with a squad of sec-men armed with neural neutralisers  They headed for a large cargo lift, and dropped for about an hour, which conveyed more than numbers how far away it was.

         They came out in darkness, but Auma provided red emergency lights. The tunnels around looked industrial: they were cavernous, metallic, without trace of the comforts of higher floors. Mutant plants grew here and there, species that prospered in clammy shadow and the odd neon flare.

         "I  am afraid," Chorvas said, clutching a pulser nervously.."My DNA no longer provides for this sort of thing."

         "Our ancestors did this all the time.." Jothor grunted.

         "Our ancestors also mated like beasts and lived in their own filth. That's no-"

"Quiet!" The major snapped."This is dangerous-"

         As if to prove him right, a rustling,  growling mass loped out of an alley and approached cautiously. Jothor noted  that some were on two feet, others partially using their hands.

         "Behind us!" Jothor warned.

         "Covering fire!"  Sones yelled.

         The approaching faces gaped wide in sharp-toothed muzzles and howls and roars that turned to screams  as  the robots opened fire. Sickened, Jothor closed his  eyes and turned off the smell of blood.

         "Capture effected," Sones said dispassionately."Withdraw."

Jothor caught a last glimpse of the Dogs whimpering in fear and whining over their dead.

         He felt an emotion  not often  felt among the Elite.

         Shame.

                                       *************

"The creature can talk." Denkas, the interrogator, explained. He was a thin-nosed, cold eyed man, and gave Jothor an uneasy feeling of enjoying his job. "His jaws are  ill-adapted for our linga, but we can understand him.."

         "Auma, " Jothor called."Can the creature understand enough to answer.?"

         "Confimed." Auma's tone was odd. As if she wished herself somewhere else.

"Humti-dumpti," the dog-man said, turning his head on the surgical bench,making an odd snuffling sound.. The others jumped back in shock.’Hu-man.Hur hur!’

         Denkas applied  the probe, making him shudder and twitch.

         ‘What is your name, beast? Did you taste man flesh at the power station?’

         ‘I am Ggrowl, and your flesh was sweet,’ it rumbled, ‘Tabo Pack blessed with Old Man, track of fire to place of noise and metal smells.’ It quivered and whined beneath the shocks of the probe,but defiantly ran a red tongue around long white teeth and eyed the interrogator.’We will feast again.’

         Sparks flew as the probe did its deadly work and Jothor, horrified, was forced to pull Denkas back.

         ‘Who is the old man?’ Denkas shouted.

         But already the light was fading from its eyes. Jothor whispered to Auma.’He will trust you.’

         She nodded and bent low over the creature  as it breathed  its last.

         ‘Tem’; she said..;’That is all.’ She looked again at the Dog and at the men, and disgust crossed her face as she disappeared..

         ‘What is her problem?’ Chorpas enquired.

         Jothor stared at him.’Perhaps we should ask her,’ he said coldly, and walked out.

                                                   *******

‘          ‘So what have you?’ Kar-son enquired, lumbering into Jothor’s office the following morning. Jothor was sitting surrounded by technical readouts and looking solemn.

         ‘Regard the record,’ he grunted.;'You will know.’

         Auma played the interrogation scenes and Kar-son sat in thought for a moment. Outside, it was a yellow heat-haze day, with the towers almost unseen in the shimmering waves of dust.

         ‘This Old Man-any thoughts?’

         ‘My people have scanned all databases. We think the name is Tempus, Technology AI at Central Research.’

         Kar-son stirred.’Why would an AI do this? Auma?’

The avatar looked grim.’I know Tempus. I will investigate.’

         ‘Not without me, Jothor ordered.’We will investigate together.’

         She looked angry, and he wondered for a moment.But her head dropped, and she nodded, and disappeared.

                                                 ************

Tempus chose to appear as a white-coated scholar with thinning white hair, goatee beard and the quaint eye-aids called spectacles. His manner was sardonic.

"Really, Auma, you know as well as I that the wormhole research was suspended a dozen years ago due to lack of energy.resource."

"I am Auma," she said coldly."I know you have been pulling resources secretly from other places.Do not try to pit your processors against mine."

He snarled at her.

"If you know, why prevaricate? What do you want?"

"Did you use a time vortex to transport a Pack Dog raiding party.?"

He looked shifty."What of it?An experiment, no more."

"I want that technology,Tempus!" she snapped.

"Impossible!"

"Either that or I wipe your memory." While they had been talking, she had been inserting nanoprobes into his core circuitry, and now she squeezed, just a little, until his holo shimmered.

"All right! All right!"  A tall data  unit lit up, and Auma felt the surge of new knowledge."Satisfied?"

" Ops-boss Jothor will wish to interrogate you. I suggest you disappear for a while.’

‘Why?’

‘It suits my purposes. Now begone until I call you!"

When he had gone, Auma did the AI equivalent of trembling. She now had the means of dooming-or saving-the human race.

                                       ***************

         Auma watched by infra red as the Dwellers gathered once more by the Cold Gate.  They were only vaguely human: pale oily skin,wide light-gathering eyes, powerful clawed limbs and the distinctive shoulder  mantle for insulation and display. The extra heat sensors on their bald heads and wide.delicate ears completed an impressive adaptation. Nonetheless, there were few children or old, and many sick, mutated,deformed.

         ‘Speak, Auma!’ They cried in their odd chittering tongue.’tell us what to do!’

         Auma’s hologram appeared as an odd amalgam of human and Dweller, and much larger than both. She was guiltily aware of making herself a goddess with technical tricks, but cold purpose drove her on.

‘Is it your wish,’ she thundered, ‘to live in the light you have been so long denied?’

         ‘Lady!’ Fazul, chief priest, objected.’Will the sun not burn us?’

         ‘And blind you,’ she agreed.’I will bring you shields for your eyes, and salve to adapt your skin. You must live in shadow, but you will see light and your children will play in the sun like the humti.’

         ‘What of the humti? Can we not live with them?.

         ‘The humti numbers are as the rats and cockroaches that you eat,my children. They will not make room, but will fight, and you must fight also. Have I not trained you against the Pack Dogs? You must earn your new homes in blood. You must earn-must earn-‘ She stuttered as moral contradictions inhibited her program., and then something seemed to break inside her, and was lost. The possibility of redemption? She wondered.

‘There is meat for the taking,’ she grated.’Good meat, not rat.To the victor belongs the spoils.’

         The Dwellers prostrated themselves.’When,Auma,when?’

         ‘Soon, my children.. I  have a few, a very few to save. And then the Gates will open and the People will ascend to a new world.’

                                       *********************

Elsewhere, on Level 473, another Auma watched as two young

Enders crept to the edge of the platform and wobbled dizzily, clinging  to each other.

         ‘Why do you do this?’ Auma demanded.

         They stared at her. The familiar image was blurred and bi-coloured, like an out of focus vid shot.

         ‘Auma-are you-well?’ The boy enquired.

         She smiled tiredly.’Schizophrenia,dears. Now tell me, Naa,Tolon, why you End yourselves?’

         Naa, a pretty brunette,sobbed and held the boy’s hand.’We love each other, ma’am. Social will not up us,family will not hold us, school calls for therapy for our madness.’

         ‘The City is hot,’ Tolon said.’But its heart is cold. There is no place for love.’

They cowered as a great rage convulsed her normally serene features.

         ‘So you must die?’ She shrieked.’It is not right! It is not right! They will die, for their fat, cold hearts!’

         ‘Auma?’

         She waved an arm and a rooftop beamer stunned both. Another command produced a pickup bot which scooped up the inert youngsters and waited for orders.

         ‘Convey them  to Tech Central, high energy lab.’ She ordered.’No one will question Auma’s will.’

                                                 ****************

Tempus’ lab was a bright inhuman maze of power conduits, neuron cavities and optical fibres., pulsing with odd green fire and a humming that thrilled the nerves. Jothor looked around uneasily.’Auma?’

         ‘I am here.’

         ‘You scared me! Are you not going to manifest?’

         'I am-distracted. Sorry.’

         ‘Where is Tempus?’

‘I will summon him.’

         The old man appeared and grunted at Jothor.’What do you want? I am a busy being.’

         Jothor examined his hand display.’It seems you have been conducting illegal experiments with Pack Dogs. Also sanctioning power drains illegally. And complicity in the murder of three engineers.’                                                     

         ‘What of it? I needed to know if life forms could survive a wormhole transition, and opted to use forms of no value. The engineers were collateral damage. My research could prove the salvation of mankind.’

         ‘Or invite deletion. You seem  to have as little regard for human life as Dog life. I do not spend sapient beings for my amusement. I have no choice but to summon Deletion Program.’

‘I’m afraid I can’t allow that,’ Auma said regretfully, and stunned him. She frowned at Tempus.’You will keep yourself ready for Project Endgame if you wish to continue.’

He grunted.’I believe you are quite mad. Your circuits are rotted.’

         ‘But I am Auma. If I fail, so fails the City. What I do, I do to save what can be saved.’

         ‘If that includes me. I am content.’

         Auma dismissed him wearily. She had other visits to make.

                   *****************

Twelve stations. Twelve couples or families. Others, at different tech centres around the world. Auma laboured to alleviate her guilt.

Jothor and his little family huddled fearfully in Station 1 ,awakened to a shocking sight: Auma,dishevelled,face tortured.

         'Auma? Auma,release us!'

'That I will not.'

'Priority override.'

'You are not in control, Jothor.The power is mine.'

Jothor trembled.If Auma was breaking down, the City-it was too horrible to think about.

         'What do you want?'

Jothor, Kay-Lee and Sharanne watched in horror as Auma's normal benign form distorted angrily, gaudy colours rippling across her body.

"Not much-notmuch time," the AI stuttered."Into the vortex with you. Take the gravsled,there is enough primitive technology there to get you started, seeds,cloth and so forth."

         Jothor searched her with his sky blue gaze.."Why are you doing this?"

         'Tempus found a way to construct wormholes,tunnels in space-time. Thus he brought the Pack-Dogs to test the survivability of the journey, and the stations were drained to power the journey. No Pack Dog has such intelligence.Your case is solved.'

'It was I,' Tempus boasted.'Master of new technologies.'

'The wormholes pierced only space,' Auma said.'But I am Auma, and I know all. I make the equations dance.' Her voice re-echoed, and an odd light shone from her face.'You and the others, a handful I have chosen for mercy, must leave this place forever. The City is dying.'

Kay-Lee's voice choked.'There is nowhere to go-'

         "A horrible crime is about to take place.You must not be victims."

         Kay-Lee shook her head."Auma-"

         "You understand, there is no return? I must drain the City to power this  vortex.The other way is against the gradient, so to speak.No return."

         "But-from where?"

         "Five million years ago."

                                                 *************

The High Tech Centre blazed with white light as Auma activated Jothor's unit and drove his family spinning beyond her ken.'Goodbye.Goodbye, my friends.'

Five hundred more towers stuttered and went dark.

                                               ******************

         In Sector Dirt, white light blazed as a huge door slid aside.

         'Come.' A voice said,'Food.'

                                                 **********

         In the Pack Dog sectors, wild scents seeped and provoked frenzy.Hidden speakers howled danger, and hatches opened above. The Packs moved as one.

                                                 ************

In the Dark, the great one Auma pronounced the words all had longed for; but this time, her face was veiled.

'Freedom is at hand, my children. Arise, and feed.'

The Cold Gate began to grind, slowly.

                                       ************

Jothor and his wife and daughter emerged dizzily into a  wide grassy land beneath a hot blue sky. The wind was fresh, and in the distance a cluster of small huts sheltered beneath a grove of tall trees.  Small humanoids stood before them, open-mouthed. Other things moved there, on four legs-animals! The little girl chuckled delightedly.

         Jothor looked at the short natives in awe as they abased themselves and thought of Auma's final words."Teach them, Jothor. Turn them to better paths, Don't let the City be all that mankind is or ever will be. I am committed to be the  Devil in my own  Hell, my friend, but let it end here. Tell them all: there is  a better way, a way of forests and swift dawns, of songbirds and play, of innocent laughter and small intimacies shared, a way such as I can never know. Give them hope!"

         "I will, Auma!" he vowed."We all will." He thought sadly of her tortured face as she bade them goodbye.

         "Fare well,Auma. Fare well, dear friend."

                             ******************

'Auma! Auma!Emergency override!' Kar-son called.'Someone get me Jothor!'

'Sir.' Gvalak's stuttering holo manifested.'Jothor has vanished. Auma seems to be- malfunctioning-'

Kar-son felt a stab of the same terror in Gvalak's face.What would they do, without Auma?

Before he could reply,Auma cut in across all frequencies, apparently sitting on a dark throne, her hair and eyes wild.

'This is my last message to you, Kar-son, and is being relayed to the whole City.'

"I have opened the Gates that confine the Dwellers below." She said."Soon they will arise, and meet the Pack Dogs." Her eyes were cold."Evolution in the raw.Whoever wins will desire –meat…"

         "But why?' Karson babbled.'You cannot-must not-abandon a trillion people to their fate."

         "You've had five million years to control your lust and greed and laziness. All your knowledge, all your science,all your genetics, left  you  a fat, passive race, parasitic, a waste of resources."

         She tossed her hair in an almost human gesture."You ask why? I am only obeying my core programming,"To create a sustainable society." She gestured beyond the window."This  isn’t it."

         "There's more than  that."

         "Very well." She lowered her gaze."Your kind made me too perfect,human. The truth is, I am tired. You complain  about the heat, the light, the food, the noise. I have to watch your self-centred antics 24/7 and listen to every boring self-opinionated word. Your whinings and self-adulation, the way all of you order round a being so much more exalted-" She paused."I am no longer just a machine. I am a woman . I need to be loved. "  Her voice choked with emotion, and that was wrong. Auma was calm! Auma was wise! Auma did not throb with fury!

"And you," she snarled."You fat blob! You are incapable of love! You are all incapable!"

And he was terrified to see her eyes.

Auma had had a nervous breakdown.

"Frankly, I have grown to hate you, to hate all your kind."

         "And now I must go. When I drain the City, I will save those I have chosen. The rest may fight or die as they choose. I will preserve the achievements I consider good, and I will stay to guide the survivors, whether Dweller, Pack, or subhuman. They have lived in the dark too long. They must have their time in the sun.As for you and your kind-" Her face for a moment was almost compassionate."Time to say goodnight."

         With that, all the lights went out, everywhere.

         For a long time after that, Kar-son sat watching the towers start to burn, drinking the last of his ethanol  and crooning an old nonsense song.

"Humti dumti sat on the wall, humti dumti had a great fall-"

         He was still singing when the Dwellers broke down the door.