Mechanis Maximus

by K_and_REDACTED

Beginings

Z-54.6
Z-54.6
Z-54.6, NOW!
“Gah-!”
Color returning to her face, she blinked rapidly, pupils dilating. Her brain began to take in her surroundings, which was too great of a task for it to accomplish. It made a point of this by pounding against her skull
“Z-54.6, you will not be asked again.”
The mare looked around as she felt blood flow slowly return to her body.
“Z-54.6, active… sir.” She responded, the last word bluntly un-approving of its own existence, as she tried vainly to locate the source of the voice in the harsh light.
“Z-54.6, why did you not respond.” The voice was calm; it was a statement, not a question.
“Startup lag… sir.”
“YOUR STATEMENT IS FALSE,” the voice replied sharply, one with a keen ear, could hear a very faint metallic edge to his voice. She could now see that ‘he’ was an advanced general policing unit; trouble. “Extended stabilized stasis apparatus’ have a maximum startup lag of exactly 5.8 seconds; you remained unresponsive for 21.687 seconds exactly. Why did you not respond.”
“I… I’m sorry… sir”
“INVALID RESPONSE. Why did you not respond.”
“I was… browsing extended memory data…”
“And you willingly ignored a superior.” Again, a statement.
“How should I know if you are my superior?”
Throwing his head back, the officer let out a piercing electronic noise; that may once have been a laugh, which caused the mare to wince, and draw a hoof to her ear. The lesser officers accompanying him joined, maybe out of fear, or perhaps it really was that funny.
Regaining himself, but without losing a cruel smirk, the officer looked her in the eyes.
“Are you honestly suggesting that there is anyone who is inferior to an Unmodulated, and one convicted of high treason no less?”
“I… I… Just-”
“Silence, we have no time for your senseless reasoning’s, I have been ordered to transport you.”
“T-transport me?”
“Are you deaf? Or just stupid? Yes, transport you.”
“Where?’
“INFORMATION CLASSIFIED.”
“Oh.”
With a gesture from their superior, the two basic policing units escorted her from the platform she’d been suspended on, and out of the small chamber.
As they left, she turned to read the sign beside the chambers door. She knew what it said. But she read it anyway… she had to. It said what it always had;