[Inaius] Public Order

Rain was pouring as Kyori left the station. He lit a cigarette as he always did before his beat. With each drag he would look over at the sign on the wall, "No Smoking 25 Meters." He was about to win his staring contest with the sign when his moment of peace was cut short by the familiar ringing on his belt. "Public Disturbance." Rang out in his head. He rubbed is tired eyes as he answered the dispatcher.

"1557 Katarama responding. ETA 10 minutes."

"Good copy 1557, 1689 will join you."

Kyori walked slowly to his vehicle. There was rarely any use in responding quickly. 10 minutes was far beyond the point of life and death in this city. He placed his hand on the scanner and the vehicle came to life. "Commence ignition." He said to the on board VI. "2369 Myrin Ward." "Confirmed." Replied the voice of a familiar women. As the vehicle lurched into the air Kyori lit another cigarette. "No smoking in government vehicles." The women's voice said. "Yup." Said Kyori as he turned her down.

It was well past midnight but the city was alive as always. 200 million people lived here, and Kyori had once believed that public order was possible here, but 10 years later and nothing had changed. Familiar kids with unfamiliar faces still rooted through garbage, pushers pushed, traffickers trafficked, and AI developers pumped out androids as fast as the rich and discreet could buy them.

Out of the smokey window the city seemed almost inviting. If he didn't know better the purples and green of a trillion lights would have seemed a marvel. But Kyori did know better. He would get to the scene, one, maybe two dead with no evidence in sight. Maybe a gang sign, maybe not. Either way the department would give him a day or two to come up with evidence, when he couldn't he would be put on another case. Same shit, different day.

As his cruiser descended he turned the women back on. "Landing in closest possible location, location of call 100m south-southwest." She said. "Thank you. Any further information from dispatch?" Kyori said. "Negative." Kyori took his last drag. "Lovely."

As Kyori walked south-southwest the sounds of the city were upon him. "Consume! They'll consume us all!" A doomsayer was shouting. "The Leviathans are coming! All shall fuel for the Leviathans!"

"Fuck off old man!" Said a passer-by. "The Paragons will protect us."

"The Paragons cannot protect themselves! They shall be food for the beasts!"

Kyori could not help but chuckle to himself. He looked up at the ever present Alliance ships in the atmosphere, and wondered when they would level this shithole. Probably never, but a guy good hope.

---

Officer 1689, had beaten Kyori to the scene, but like he thought, it had made no difference. One dead, no gang signs.

"Who is it?" Kyori asked the young officer.

"No idea Sir. No I.D, but it looks to be a male Klalan, early 30s maybe." He replied.

"Have you run genetics?" Kyori asked.

"Yes Sir, nothing."

"Strange." Kyroi knelt down by the body, and pulled out his handkerchief. He lifted the body's left hand and ran his fingers along the forearm. "Ah, that explains it."

"Explains what Sir?" The young officer asked.

"He's not a man at all it would seem." Kyori said as he carefully opened the left forearm with his knife. "Android, and well made. We'll have to get it back to the station for analysis, see if we can find any maker's marks."

"Right away Sir."

As Kyori walked back to his cruiser he noticed a garbage heap piled up beside the road. Against his better judgment he shined his flashlight at it. Children and scavers were all over the heap as he knew they would be.

Kyori looked back up at the Alliance ships over head. "Anytime. Any fucking time at all."

"Welcome Officer Katarama, designation 1557."

Kyori always wondered why the computer welcomed him to the morgue. As if it was somewhere people wanted to be welcomed to. He was also wondering why they brought an android to the morgue and not the chop shop.

"Did you bring this down here?" Kyori said to the Hylian coroner accusingly.

"1689." Said the Hylian in its native tongue.

Kyori shook his head. "Kids. Well can you do anything with it or do I need to bring it upstairs?

"You can do." Said the Coroner in broken standard. "Lunch." It said through razor teeth.

"Fucking Unions." Kyori yelled as the Hylian slithered away.

Kyori sat down in a chair near the bot and lit a cigarette.

"No smoking in government building-No smoking in government building." Said the familiar woman.

Kyori wheeled over to the VR and turned her off.

He wheeled back to the body and let out a long sigh. "Here we go." Kyori started with a superficial observation of the robot. The craftsmanship was excellent. The Artificer had gone into detail. Even bothering to add blemishes to areas usually covered by clothing. "No makers marks on external." Kyori said to his recorder. "Beginning intern-WHAT THE FUCK." Kyori shouted. "How long have you been there." Kyori said to Officer 1689.

"A few minutes." Said the young officer. "Sorry Sir, you seemed so focused."

Kyori stared at 1689 directly in the eye for about a minute and a half. "uh huh. Well in the future these go upstairs. Ya know. Where the techs are."

"Sorry Sir, won't happen again."

Kyori stared at 1689 for another minute. He was fresh, he believed in the Alliance, he believed in the city.

"What's your name kid?" Kyori asked.

"Officer Maradon 168-"

"Your first name." Kyori interrupted.

"Oh, uh Zerano." He said confused.

"...are you sure?" Asked Kyori.

"Yes sir, sorry sir."

"Uh huh. Well come on over here and I'll show you how to check the bots manually. Its tedious, but in a lot of cases doing a manual inspection will tell you more than the machine the techs have got upstairs. We start with the left arm 'cause that's usually where the tech is closest to the surface. Artificers also like to leave their marks there. Not that those help us find them, but it lets us have some reference. Easy enough?" Kyori asked.

"Easy enough." Said Zerano

"Perfect."

Kyori was back in his usual spot by the no smoking sign, but for once that was not the focus of his attention. In his hand he held a small metal disk taken from the collar bone of the android they found in the Myrin ward. The Public Order Record of Androids maintains a fairly extensive database of marks in order to track which artificers are active, but this symbol was new. It was an eye as far as Kyori could guess, with a cog for a pupil. On the back were the letters "GD."

"Was it on record?"

"What...oh, Z." said Kyori. Zerano had caught him by surprise as usual. "No it wasn't, which isn't good. The wards have their artificers, and they don't typically like to share territory. Which means either the Myrin ward crew brought in a new member, or there's a new player in the game."

"So what's the plan Sir?" Said Z.

"Well, we've gotta find out which scenario we're dealing with...you hungry? Kyori asked.

"I could e-"

"Perfect." Kyori said before Z could finish.

The corner place was Kyori's go to for information on the wards. two decades in Public Order had gotten him quite a few friends, and far more contacts. The proprietor of this establishment was a former artificer Normad by the name of Krondik Ioyric. Ten years ago Kyori had saved the place from planning and zoning in exchange for information. Every few months Krondik would pass on the latest on the android trade in the city, and if anyone could identify this symbol it was him.

As they approached the door Kyori stopped, and looked up. "Huh."

"What's wrong Sir?"' Said Z.

"Nothing...It stopped raining." Kyori said as he walked in.

"Oh." Z said. "So it has."

"KRONDIK!" Kyori yelled as he walked in. "Its been too long."

"Kyori!" Yelled the Normad from the Kitchen. The giant walked from the back and saw Kyori's face. "Shit must be really bad to bring you in here with a smile." He chuckled from behind his teeth.

"Things aren't bad yet, but they're probably getting there. We've got someone new in town." Kyori said as he flashed the symbol.

Krondik snatched it from Kyori's hand and gave it a long look. "GD...A new player indeed. You're going to need to give me some time with this one. Got time for a meal?"

Kyori looked over at Z and then back to Krondik. "I thought you'd never ask."

Kyori and Z sat in a booth while they waited for Krondik. Kyori was thankful that the diner was quiet, as he wasn't in the mood to talk. Kyori had also concluded that Z was basically mute, which he was also thankful for.

"More coffee?" Krondik asked as he came out from the back.

"Yeah, thanks. Z will have more too." Said Kyori.

"Thanks K." Said Zerano. "Oh..uh thanks sir." He corrected himself.

"You're fine." Kyori laughed. "Glad you're finally loosening up."

While they spoke Krondik walked over to the door and locked it. "Better get the sign too, Kyori can you hit that switch?"

"Yeah I got it." Kyori hit the switch and the neon "open" sign switched off.

Krondik pulled a stool up to the booth an placed the disk on the table. "Grand Dynamics." Kondrik said plainly.

"What do you know about it?" Asked Kyori.

"Not from this ward. Not from this world actually. Hell not even from the Alliance." Krondik said. "It's a megacorperation from the Aurelian Syndicate."

"Explains the craftsmanship." Kyori sighed. "Well that's not so good is it."

"No." Krondik said in lowly. "Are yo-"

"We have to alert the Alliance immediately!" shouted Zerano.

Krondik stared at Z for a moment and the turned back to Kyori. "Are you gonna tell the chief?"

"No, he'd probably tell the Alliance." Kyori said as he took another sip of coffee."

"What! Why would we not tell the Alliance, this is a threat to all of us!" Zerano yelled.

"Kid, if you tell the Alliance this place will go under marshal law. Hell they might even just level the city for good measure." Krondik said in a growl.

"On second thought maybe we should tell the Alliance." Kyori said into his coffee cup.

Krondik shot Kyori and icy look. "What are you going to do? This is a little beyond Public Order."

Kyori ran his hands through his hair and looked a Z. "I think the question is more what is he going to do."

"I'm going to do my duty, I won't have the next bellum on my hands." Zerano yelled as he stormed out.

"Stop him." Krondik growled.

"No stopping him now, not much can stop a young man with ideals." Kyori said.

"By young you mean stupid." Krondik said standing up.

"...yeah"

"Alliance finally getting involved? Might be time to jump ship then eh?" Krondik's words were in Kyori's mind as he put the VI on its landing pattern. Kyori had been dealing with the Artificers for years with no help from the the Alliance Ships in the sky. He had always figured they were content to let Public Order deal with the issue so long as none of the AIs made it off world. But he had to admit, he had no idea how they would react to AI being brought on world. His thoughts were interrupted however by the familiar women. "Obstruction, seek alternate lot." She said. "What?" Kyori said aloud. He looked out the window and saw the issue. His usual spot, and several dozen others were now occupied by a Frigate, it was clean, it was armed, it was Alliance. In all his tenure he had never seen a single Alliance Military official, much less a ship of them planetside. "Z." Was the only thing Kyori could think.

"Welcome Officer Katarama designation 1557, please report to the Office of the Chief." The familiar voice at the door said.

On a good day a Public Order was tense, but today it was downright on edge. As Kyori walked hall after hall he realized he was nervous for the first time in years. Kyori had never had to deal with anyone above the chief, and these people were quite literally worlds above him. Kyori knocked softly on the Chiefs door. "1557 Reporting." He said. "Enter." Said the familiar voice of the chief.

"Gentlemen, this is Kyori Katarama Officer 1557." The Chief said. "Kyori, these men are Alliance Officers."

The first man stood to introduce himself, he was an Alanician with brown hair and dark eyes. He was tall and strong, a quintessential soldier. "Major Nylitz, Alliance Army. A pleasure." He said. Kyori nodded in answer.

The second "man" then stood. Kyori had never seen a Py'thalan in person. He caught himself starring, but he didn't care. In front of him was a four armed, winged, and walking insect. "Captain R'athala, Alliance Navy." The Py'thalan said.

"A pleasure to meet you both." Kyori said awkwardly. "I take it your here in regards to our Grand Dynamics Issue?"

"We are." Said Major Nylitz. "Your colleague here sent up your findings earlier today." Nylitz motioned to Z who had been slinking in the corner.

Kyori caught Z's eyes for a moment and then turned back to the Major. "Will the Alliance be taking over this case?" He asked.

"No, not exactly." Answered R'thala. "The Alliance has a somewhat heavy hand and we don't want to scare the smuggler offworld before we can capture him. We'd like you, and your associate to continue the investigation as you are, the only difference is that you will report all mission updates directly to the Alliance."

Kyori nodded. "What should I do when I find him?"

"Take this." Said Nylitz handing Kyori a small Alliance beacon. "Get him outside, activate this, and a ship will grab him."

"And if its a whole operation? Can't take them all in that way." Kyori asked.

"Just make sure the beacon gets activated Officer." R'thala said. We'll take everything from there."

Kyori looked over to the Chief who gave him a slow nod. "Alright, we'll get it done." He said looking at Z.

"Excellent." Said Nylitz. "If you lose that beacon we've given a few extras to Chief Milis here. Any final questions?"

"No sir."

Kyori sat with his back against the familiar no smoking sign. Half burned cigarette in one hand and the Alliance beacon in the other. All these years and he had never seen the Alliance in the Ward, and all of a sudden some rookie cries robot and they send a warship. It was like all the murder and corruption meant nothing to them so long as it stayed where it was. He took a frustrated drag and turned his thoughts to Z. He had never asked Z where he was from, but it couldn't be the Myrin Ward, no one born in the Ward would run to the Alliance so quick.

"Sir."

The word shattered Kyori's concentration, but it didn't matter. "Well kid, you did it." Kyori said standing up.

"Did what Sir?"

"I don't know." Kyori admitted. "But it kinda feels likes the gods are about to interfere in mortal affairs."

"I don't think that's how I would describe it Sir." Z said sheepishly.

"You're right." Kyori said. "I guess Androids don't really constitute mortal affairs. Given the whole robot thing."

"Sir that's not what I.." Z started to say, but Kyori cut him off. "I know what you fucking meant."

Z shut his mouth hard enough for Kyori to hear his teeth grind. Kyori rubbed his hands on face and apologize. "Sorry, that was little harsh."

"Think nothing of it Sir." Z replied.

"Z.." Kyori started. "Do you realize how big this is going to get? We're dealing with forces beyond the Alliance that for some reason give a shit about this place." Kyori took a second to put out his cigarette. "But here we are."

"Then we'd better get started Sir."

"Yeah, I guess we'd better." Kyori said. "Z I need you to dig up everything you can on Grand Dynamics. Shouldn't be to hard to dig if they're as big as Krondik said they were."

"On it." Said Z. "What are you going to do Sir?"

"Gonna hit the strip club." Kyori said as he started to walk away.

"What?" Z yelled after him.

"You'll understand when you're older."

---

Kyori was always hesitant about using this particular source. Mainly because he didn't remember if he owed them a favor or if they owed him. In front of him stood the "The Galaxy's Edge" a night club with a discerning clientele. Kyori knew the owners trafficked androids but was never able to catch them in the act. Hell he was almost certain half the dancers weren't human, but he couldn't exactly go cutting open left arms. Regardless this was one of the businesses Kyori had helped keep open during his time with Planning and Zoning and so from time to time management would slip something his way as thanks. He imagined that after this conversation the debt would be settled.

"Line's over there Sir." Said the bouncer, barely looking at Kyori.

"I'm fully aware." Kyori said impatiently. "I'm here to see management."

The bouncer looked at him with a frown, and checked a device on his wrist. After looking up and down between Kyori and the device several times he lifted the rope and nodded for him to go through.

"Thank you."

Per usual the club was dark, loud, and alive. A strange oasis in the shit hole that was the Myrin Ward. Kyori hugged the wall and made his way to the back. He had done this song and dance enough times to know not to move through the main floor. As he made his way to the office he pretended not to notice several dozen punishable offenses. Finally he reached management. With a quick knock he was in.

'Kyori, its good to see you dear." Said a female Hylian through her razor teeth.

"And you as always." Said Kyori kissing her hand.

"Ah, enchanting as always." She said with a laugh. "But I don't think you're here to flatter me. Tell me what you need so I can get Public Order out of my club."

Kyori put the Grand Dynamics emblem on the desk. "Do you know what this is?"

"Oh yes." She said. "Grand Dynamics, they make all kinds of tech. Ship parts, VI, interface..."

"Androids?" Kyori interrupted.

"Androids." She repeated slowly.

"I need you to be straight with me." Said Kyori. "Are you running tech from outside the Alliance."

"Kyori. I'm a business woman, and business around here is plenty good. I don't need to go all the way to the Syndicate for products." She said. "Let me look into this for you, but if I find something our debt is square yeah?

Kyori looked at her for several seconds. "Alright."

Kyori walked slowly back to his squad car. He was using up favors fast, ,much faster than he liked to.

"Z I'm coming back."

"Alright, any luck?" Z asked.

"Not the kind of luck I wanted."

"What's that mean?"

Kyori lit a cigarette in his squad car and over the no smoking warning said, " Its a better conversation for in person."

The rain was torrential as Kyori and Zerano Pursued the lead they had received from the manager. "Fitting." Kyori thought to himself as he sat half listening to everything Z had learned about General Dynamics and the Aurelian Syndicate. It was good info, but Kyori doubted it would be of any use where they were headed. The manager had pointed them towards a roadside food stand on the outskirts of the Ward. "Ask for Jenna." The manager had said through her razor teeth. Kyori had to laugh at her shrewdness. She had promised to look into the issue in exchange for settling an old debt, however Kyori realized too late that nowhere in that deal had she promised to tell him what she found. So now here he was with a riddle, and one less favor.

"We're here." Said Z. "Right over there."

"Yup, looks like the spot." Said Kyori. "Let's go find Jenna."

The stand was a bit more than Kyori had expected. Attached to the kitchen were a few overhangs over some deserted tables. Its bright neon lights flickered in and out at random, but the lights inside held a steady glow. In the window Kyori could see a man back at the fryer, and a woman in the order window. As the pair got closer Kyori spied her name tag, "Jenna."

"That's her." Said Z under his breath. "I see the tag." Kyori responded.

"What now Sir?" Z asked. Kyori took a deep breath and said, "Well, I think I've got the riddle figured out. Just follow my lead." "Roger." Z responded.

"Good evening miss." Kyori said to Jenna. "Are you still open?"

"Of course, what can I get you two?" She asked with maybe the biggest smile Kyori had ever seen in the Ward.

"Uhh, I'll take a number two, what do you want Z?" Kyori asked. "I'll have a number three combo."

"Alright sounds good. Hey Hun!" She yelled. "Did you hear that?"

"Yup, coming right up!" Yelled the man from the back.

Kyori had been watching closely as she turned. Her body movement was perfect, but her left arm was locked rigid.

Jenna whirled back around and jumped, not expecting Kyori to still be right there. "Haha sorry." She laughed. "I'm easily startled."

"No worries." Said Kyori. "I suppose its my fault, most people probably sit right down."

Jenna gave an uncomfortable smile in reply. "Usually." Kyori smiled back, and then looked a Z. Giving him a subtle nod to move himself towards the kitchen door.

"So Jenna, tell me about life." Kyori said leaning on the counter. "Oh, um, wel-" Before she could finish, Kyori had reached through and pulled her out through the window.

"Kyori what are-!" Yelled Z. "Get the guy!" Kyori shouted back.

Z kicked in the kitchen door as Kyori wrestled Jenna. She was strong, far too strong for her size, but this was clearly her first fight. Kyori managed to pin her and get a hold of her left arm. On the surface Kyori would never have expected a thing, but there was the tech, hiding so close under the surface.

"Stop struggling!" Yelled Zerano. He had come out of the kitchen with the man and had him on his knees with his firearm pointed towards the small of his neck.

"I'd listen to him." Kyori said struggling to hold her. "Don't!" She yelled.

Kyori got her up and put her next to the man. "Alright." He said straightening himself out. "Good job Z."

"Thank you Sir, Androids?" He asked. "She is, we'll have to see about him."

"Now." Kyori said. "We've got quite a bit to talk about."

Kyori took a seat on one of the tables while Zerano restrained Jenny and her partner. The soft scent of blood was in the air as it oozed from Jenny's left arm, which had now been locked completely rigid by the trauma of Kyori's inspection. She was crying softly, but it was clear they were tears of anger rather of sadness or pain. The concept of a machine experiencing such a wide range of emotions had always sit uncomfortably with Kyori. He didn't care much about the machines themselves, but always wondered what brought someone to create such mockeries of life. Deep down it infuriated him that these beings were cursed with some sense of awareness. "The sick fucks who make these things know they're just doomed to slavery or death." He thought to himself. "Why would you give something like that emotions." He said aloud.

"What." Zerano asked? "Did you say something?"

"Nothing important." Kyori replied. He turned his gaze to Jenny. "He's not like you is he?" He said nodding towards the man.

"No." Jenny replied quietly.

"Yes I am!" Yelled the man. "She's no different than you and me."

Kyori glanced down at her bleeding arm and the unnatural machinery inside. "How confident are you in that assessment?" He asked the man half joking.

"I'm glad you think this is funny." Said Jenny cutting in.

Kyori let out a long sigh. "You're right, its not funny, not funny at all." He said. "Here is what I need from you Jenny. I need to know who created you, and where, and why."

"Why." She replied. "Why can't I just live."

"Your...life, threatens all the others on this planet." Kyori said carefully. "Look up, do you see those battleships, they're here because of your kind, and I'd rather not have the Alliance level my home."

"Its my home too." She said softly. "I've lived here all my life."

"Lived." Kyori repeated. "Existed is probably a better word. Anyway, you aren't really in a position to be asking anymore questions. Like I said I need to know how you got here."

"I don't know." Said Jenny. "I've always been here with Maddak." She said nodding to the man.

"Did you build her?" Asked Kyori.

"No." Said Maddak. "I set her free."

"Why?" Asked Zerano still standing behind him with fire arm drawn.

"We were in love." He said. "I had to get her out of there."

"Out of where?" Said Kyori leaning in. "Where did you two come from."

"I was scientist, working for General Dynamics from the Yviiri Syndicate."

"Fell in love with the merchandise?" Zerano asked accusingly.

"I didn't build her." Maddak said angrily. "My job was to create the baseline for memories and personality."

"What do you mean a baseline?" Asked Kyori. "i was under the impression you could simply plug in what you want out of them."

"Maybe in the cheap shit you have around here." Maddak said. "We weren't making robots. We were making something new. The baseline allowed them to build their own conciseness. All we gave them was something to build on."

"And so she just happened to fall in love with you?" Kyori said mockingly.

"Yes!" Jenny yelled at him.

"Easy." Kyori replied sharply. "Considering a second ago you said you spent your whole life here, I'm willing to guess Mr. Maddak is still able to mess with your mind."

"What?" Asked Jenny. "I have always been here."

"You don't mean...you don't mean your lab is here?" Asked Zerano.

"Its not my lab." Said Maddak. "But yes. General Dynamics has been encroaching on Alliance markets for decades."

"So this what...corporate warfare? Asked Kyori.

"Yes, that's why we left. They weren't interested in the soul of the science. Just its profit margin."

"But why here?" Asked Zerano. "They have to know AI like this is 'destroy on sight' in the Alliance.

"They do, but that's all the better reason to edge in. No sophisticated competition, a wide open black market." Said Maddak.

Kyori let out a long sigh as he leaved back against the table. "This is some serious shit." He said to Zerano.

Z nodded. "We need to bring these two back to the Alliance."

Jenny looked up at him. "We're not going back."

"It won't be your choice." He said. "We wi...

"It will be my choice." Kyori interrupted. "Tell me where it is, and you're free to go, and keep on 'living'. And when I need favors, you'll accommodate."

Maddak nodded. "Fine, fine."

"Absolutely not." Said Zerano drawing his sidearm. "This is twice now you've be willing to go against the Alliance Kyori."

"I'll be honest kid, I don't give two shits about the Alliance, and the Alliance couldn't give two shit about this place. You tell them there is General Dynamics lab pumping out bots and they'll put a hole through the planet to make sure its gone."

"Sometimes there needs to be sacrifice to prevent greater loss of life." Said Zerano pulling out one of the beacons the alliance officers had gave him. "I'm bringing these two back, and you're aren't going to sto...

The shot that ended Zerano's speech rang loud despite the downpour. The young officer fell to his knees and slumped to the ground.

"What the fuck!" Yelled Jenny who was now covered in to blood and bone. "Why did you do that!"

"He said it himself. There sometimes needs to be sacrifice to prevent greater loss of life."