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I was hit. Terror engulfed me, all I could hear was a terrible, loud, terrifying ringing. Goddammit, I was so careful and for what reason, just to throw it all away for her? I barely knew her. She had only been in the crew for a month, but she had somehow managed her way into everyone's hearts. I thought she hadn't made it into mine but I was mistaken. I was familiar with death; you had to be if you grew up around them the cold, calculating monsters that had deemed their way best that they would “fix” everything by controlling us; How did I know she wasn't one? I heard that there were rumours that they were manufacturing more of them to be more advanced, making them look like us, infiltrating the disobedient and dismantling the rebels from within. Some that were caught claimed innocence that they didn't know what they were or maybe it was ignorance. How could they sabotage us unconsciously? I don't believe it.
The ringing stopped, but it was still loud blaring alarms and metal screeching. Luckily, with the distraction of my impalement, the crew was able to take it down. I looked back at when I pushed her out of its path. I saw it charging towards her, and I wanted to move, but everything in me was screaming at me to “let it happen” and “we’d be better off.” No, I wouldn't allow myself to think like that despite everything in my being protesting. I ran to push her out of its way. It was me or her, even though I had been plagued with the choice so many times, this was the first time that I decided to do something I had always been afraid of until I met her.
I was grounded once again by my squad leader slapping me to get my attention, “ Can you stand? We have to keep moving once we get to the control room so we can assess the damage.” He said, “I believe I can.” I replied, “Good, Naomi help her up.” She hoisted me up in one smooth motion which made me even more suspicious of her and what she could be. As I was hobbling towards the control room, Naomi began profusely thanking me for saving her. She claimed that she was too overcome by fear to move. Naomi asked if I was in pain. I responded that “I had just been impaled” and to “put the pieces together herself.” It was rude, but I had just been thrown across a room only to hit the wall just to get a piece of metal lodged in me for my troubles so I figured it was justified.
Once the crew entered the control room, they laid me onto a seat in front of the console so they could evaluate me as I shut the metal monstrosities down. I began typing furiously, entering and bypassing each firewall as Naomi knelt to assess the damage done by the man-made creatures. I continued to break through each layer of security set to keep us out, knowing that more would be coming. I was so close I had almost finished, I was so close to putting an end to all the suffering that they had put us through. One more button and it be over for every one of those metallic beasts, just one more click and they would finally be stopped.
Before I could finish the codes I heard a gasp from Naomi who was still newly down at my side. I looked down at my injury. The piece of metal was still embedded in my stomach, but I wasn't bleeding. I lifted the fabric surrounding where the metal was. I stared only to see a mess of wires and screws beneath what I had thought to be flesh. I felt a wave of nausea and fear wash over me.
Click.