Chapter Twelve – Vending Machines

Chapter Twelve – Vending Machines

“Our only goals are to help our vanguard, and in doing so, help humanity!”

— Bleriot, AI companion of Three Swipes, in an interview with Cyberstar, January 2022

***

I glared at the vending machine. “Are you serious?” I asked.

Lucy shrugged. She had a crutch in one hand and the other was pressed against the machine before her. “Look,” she said as she poked the screen next to the machine. She selected something from the top shelf, some sort of white-bread sandwich thing that was probably stale and stank of preservatives and yet still tasted stupidly okay.

The screen flashed as soon as it finished connecting with her gear.

TRANSACTION ACCEPTED!

“Okay?” I asked.

TRANSACTION DENIED!

The machine stayed quiet. Lucy shook her fist, it looked as if she was about to punch the damned thing, but she held herself back. It was probably for the best. The more expensive vending machines had hidden tear gas sprayers to piss off vandals and the like.

“It even took my credits!” Lucy said.

I sighed. It was weird being more concerned about shitty sandwiches stuck in uncaring machines than the literal alien invasion going on, but there was little better to do. Marie had been right about the kids needing a break. It looked like every last one of them was lining up to take a piss while Marie and Baldy and that jock looking guy kept watch around the nearest corridors.

“Want me to try?” I asked.

“You got more credits than I do?” she asked.

I shrugged a shoulder. “I’ve got…” I frowned. “About a grand? A bit less than that, in my account. That’s enough for, uh.” I looked at the price of a sandwich and blanched. “That’s enough for one of those. Damn. You tried twice?”

“Three times,” Lucy said.

“Right,” I said. I stared at the ID logo set on the front of the machine and waited for my gear to finally clue in that I wanted something from it.

I believe I will make encouraging you to upgrade some of your equipment a priority.

“Why’s that?” I asked.

Lucy blinked at me. “Is it working?”

“Eventually,” I said. “I’m talking to Myalis. The, uh, Samurai AI thing living in my head.”

Lucy beamed. “Say hi for me!”

Please return the greetings.

“She… it says hi,” I said. My eye gear finally pinged the vending machine. I poked at the floating images of buttons on the front plate, then watched the transaction connect on my end. The little counter I had for my credit account told me I’d dropped 800CR on some shitty grub.

TRANSACTION ACCEPTED!

“Hey, it wor–”

TRANSACTION DENIED!

I glared at the two words floating an inch off of a no-doubt expensive holographic display. “That is not cool,” I said.

I can help!

“You can help? How?”

“Myalis wants to help? Oh, and tell her that I think her name is pretty,” Lucy said.