ASIB

This is a story, I'm developing for an eventual Novel. Hope you like it.

When I became conscious, I was unable to move my body. Aware I had been seriously wounded I forced my eyes to open just enough to learn I was unable to detect any light; they burned like hell which forced me to allow them to close. It seemed to ease the pain, at least some.

I felt like I’d been hit by a truck. My ears were ringing with a pulsating rhythm that drowned out almost all other sound, but at least I had an indication that I still could hear. My head was throbbing and blood seeped from a wound somewhere on my scalp. It pooled inside my helmet and the right side of my face rested in the puddle filling my right ear. I could sense another wound on the right side of my body and I was nauseous.

Once I made the decision to try and move, I first tested my feet; to be sure I still had them. It took me what seemed like fifteen minutes before I managed to get myself up into a sort of sitting position against whatever it was I was lying next to.

I attempted to wipe the blood from my eyes; it seemed there was dirt or some sort of fragments in my eyes and I panicked with thoughts of permanent blindness.

I felt around and found a canteen on my belt, aware of the wound in my side; I took only a small drink, then I poured water into my eyes to flush them out. I did this again and again until I ran out of the water. It took a while, but I eventually I began to notice some light, not much but at least now I knew I was not completely blind. It was then it occurred to me I had had my face mask smashed away.

Insidiously, my vision improve, and as I began to scanned my surroundings I was able to make out the form of another man lying very close to me, reaching over to check him out I managed to tug him over onto his back. I was stunned when I saw that it was a severely damaged, very human looking, but no longer functioning android.

It wore a uniform. The damage exposed some of its internal components of which, I somehow could tell, were biologically manufactured. I was not frightened or concerned as I felt I should be. It was oozing a red blood like liquid from its wounds which was why, at first, I thought it human.

It occurred to me; I had no idea where I was, and even more alarming, who I was. After some moments of trying to rack my brain for my own identity, I thought to look for a name tag on my uniform but my vision was severely blurred. I turned my body toward what little light there was and was able to make out the name, “McCall”. I sat motionless with my eyes closed, as I struggled to recall who I was; “McCall” the name was unfamiliar to me. Then I struggled over to read the androids name tag, all it read was, “TC”.

I was relieved to see, English alphabet usage instead of some form of hieroglyphics. I found myself disturbed at how human the body felt when I touched it to move it. Its face shield was down; I hesitated, then reached over and slid it open, I was stunned when I saw what seemed like the face of a young girl or at least a very female looking face inside the helmet. How depressing, I thought it would be if she were a young human girl.

 

My vision was becoming clearer as time passed and I was more and more able to make out my surroundings but I still had no idea where I was. I could feel myself getting weaker from loss of blood and I knew I would not make it if I kept bleeding. I was now too weak even to remove my helmet or crawl about. My breathing was beginning to become labored. I thought if I was able to move I may be able to recognize my surroundings but now all I could do was lay on my back. The sky seemed at dusk or was it dawn, I had no idea. The air smelled different depending on which the wind blew.

 I was glad to be alive but was feeling colder and weaker; I kept thinking, how much longer now. I began feeling around in the hope of finding any kind of com device that I might be able to use to call for help. But in just minutes I found I could no longer move. I thought, this would be a good time to think about the wife and kids, if in fact I had any. My head began to spin and then everything went black.

I woke to find my eyes and my head covered with bandages. My first thought was, I’ve been found!

I tried to move but immediately felt a heavy hand on my chest and a woman’s voice said, “Stop, please do not move, you have been severely injured, you must lay still.” I was so glad to know I was receiving care.

 I could hardly manage a whisper, “Where am I, is this a field hospital?”

“No, I found you, you were unresponsive, I revived you and have stopped your bleeding, but you must remain still or you will die.”

 “You got my helmet off thanks, I couldn’t do it.”

“It had to be cut off.” The voice said. “You sustained a serious head wound; it may affect your balance in the future.”

“So we’re still in the field?”

 “Yes, I have not been able to establish contact of any kind thus far.”

“Then you probably can’t tell me who I am, I lost my memory along with this bump on the head.”

“Your name is, Captain, John McCall sir.”

“Do I outrank you or something?”

“Yes, you do Captain.”

“Can I ask your name and rank?”

 “My name is, TC sir.”

I felt my heart roll in my chest.

“You mean you’re that Droid I found?”

 “Please sir, my name is “TC” I am an, ASIB, an artificial, self-aware intelligent being, not a Droid sir.”

“What’s this, self-aware with pride? I thought you were dead, or whatever it is you call it when you... well, when you’re like dead.” I was speaking in whispers but I just had to know. “How did you get repaired?”

“I have biological nanotechnology, most of my damaged organs and parts regenerate and repair themselves.”

“So you’re practically immortal?”

 She adjusted my position to make me more comfortable. “No, I can cease to function if damaged severely enough.”

“Okay TC, so where do we go from here?”

 “You sir, are human you are in command.”

I could not see her so I slowly shook my head.

“I’m damaged and at the moment, I’m blind and my memory has been erased. I don’t know who, or what I am. Until you told me, I had no idea who I was. Hey, how did you find out who I was?”

“All human soldiers have a bar code tattooed on the back of their neck. I read you bar code. You also have a small chip embedded under your skin.”

“So you should be able to give me a report.”

“You are Captain John McCall, of the Third Military Police Battalion, Force Logistics Command. We were on an escort mission providing security for diplomats on their way to a meeting in the capital when we were attacked. We were in the rear and caught the worse. My data suggest that the main part of the convoy got through without too much damage or loss of human life. The mission was a success.”

I just lade there staring into the blackness of my bandages. “Thanks’, but I got to tell yeah, I’m not feeling very successful at the moment. Shouldn’t we have been rescued by now?”  

“Enemy Drone activity in this sector has been heavy Captain. You cannot be moved, your survival requires we must wait for rescue.

I felt numb all over and found it hard to speak. "If they don't get here soon... it will be a recovery mission not a rescue mission."

***

Commanding the Third Military Police Battalion, General, Matthias Hollander shook his head with disbelief, “McCall would have to be dead, he's one of my best; I can’t believe he’s lost. What’s the status on the rescue?”

A young Major who had been standing at ease began reading from a sheet of paper in a folder,

“We have just cleared all the enemy drones and the rescue team is beginning their search now sir, the report also said that an ASIB, TC was lost as well sir.”

“What makes them think the ASIB is lost?”

“No contact sir, if TC were functional it would have contacted us by now sir.”

General Hollander walked behind his desk, slowly backing into his chair, he leaned back.

"Major, I don't want to see you again until you have some news on this situation, you understand me?"

 

"Yes sir," the major snapped to attention and waited to be dismissed.

After a moment, "You’re dismissed, major." The General said in a whisper.

Author's Note

This is a second draft and I'm sure I will rewrite it many times before it is seems right. I compose as I go so I am not sure where it will take me. I'm just along for the ride.