We were rising up quickly, our military gained more and more soldiers by the day and we were rebuilding what had been lost faster and faster. I still hated that warlord but I couldn't get my mind off of the fact that we still couldn't retaliate. I reported to my duties of rebuilding a long range artillery cannon and pulled out my tool kit. After a couple hours of pounding away at nails and drilling in screws, I couldn't help but overhear some of my co-workers talking about something that peaked my interest.

-"Dude, did you hear?" he said.

-"About what?" the other asked.

-"About the little "experiment" General Anonydeath has going on."

-"No, I never heard of anything like that."

-"Alright so basically, there's this rumor that the General is making some sort of super-weapon that's gonna make killing that bastard Mike a whole lot easier."

-"Is that so?"

-"Yeah, no one knows what exactly it is yet but it's said to be a living person."

-"So it's not like a cannon or something?"

-"No, no. If you ask me..." he paused.

     He looked around him before whispering something barely audible into the other guys' ear.

-"It's some sort of super soldier." he said.

-"I was kinda hoping that it would be the newest model of the Omega-X Capital Destroyer." The other said.

-"Keep your voice down! If the general hears this, he's definitely gonna give us some sort of punishment. Let's get back to work."

     I was intrigued. I do hope that this rumor turns out being true.

4 HOURS LATER

     My duties for the day were over and I was about to pack my things when someone radioed me.

-"Nanuk here, who is this?" I asked.

-"Nanuk, I need you at the command center for a while." I heard Anonydeath say.

-"Right away sir."

     I started making my way to the command center and entered. 

-"Ah Nanuk, there you are. Come here, I need to show you something." Anonydeath said as I walked over to him.

-"What is it sir?" I asked.

-"You see, the sciencey boys at the laboratory made something that requires further testing before use."

-"What is it?"

-"It's an artificial intelligence that will be accompanying you on this mission."

     He handed me and small data chip, I took it and observed it for a second.

-"So where do I put this thing? It looks like I have to plug it in somewhere." I said.

-"This helmet also requires further testing. It was made for being the vessel of that A.I. so get used to it." He said as he handed me a strange looking helmet.

     I put on the helmet and it took a second to boot up all its systems. Once everything was set up, I inserted the chip into the back of my helmet. As soon as it was connected, I heard a female voice speak to me.

-"Hello pilot, I am Ruby, the artificial intelligence created by Eden to assist you in combat situations. I'm currently patching into your systems now. Before anything else though, I must follow protocol 1: Link to pilot. I am commencing a neural link now, this will only take a moment, you may experience slight discomfort during this process." The A.I. said.

     I felt my brain feeling like it was being tickled for a few moments before "Ruby" spoke up again.

-"Neural link established. I am now the acting A.I. of pilot Nanuk." Ruby said.

-"So what now?" I asked.

-"Feel free to experiment with her and try out your new abilities. She was created by Eden's finest engineers and scientists. Now, as a suitable test, I am sending you to infiltrate a research facility on the outskirts of Planeptune. I need their newest targeting and defense technology. Grab that info, burn that place down and report back here." Anonydeath said.

     Before I could say: "yes sir", like I normally do, Ruby spoke up.

-"New orders received. Acquire blueprints for defense and targeting technology at Planeptune research center." Ruby said.

-"Yes sir."

     I headed for the elevator. While descending, I asked Ruby something.

-"Ruby, what's the best mode of transportation if I want to pull this off quietly?" I asked.

-"Accessing files...preferred mode of transport should be a land vehicle with some sort of cloaking technology. The experimental car: "Shadow", could be a good choice. Marking your HUD." she said.

-"Alright, you think we'll be able to do this?"

-"We have a 64.8% chance of succeeding the mission without being detected, but a 76.2% chance of surviving the mission at all."

-"I guess that puts the odds in our favor."

     A confused face appeared on my visor before she spoke again.

-"You will have to explain that expression to me later."

     We made it to the garage and, with a little..."negotiating"...we managed to commandeer the Shadow. We drove to the coordinates given and parked 500 meters from the entrance gate.

-"Ruby, any way that we can get in other than the front door?" I asked.

-"Scanning...I detect a small opening in the ventilation's maintenance panel, that could be our best way in." she said.

     I made my way to the opening and crawled inside.

-"Pilot Nanuk, I forgot to mention something when we first met." Ruby said.

-"What is it Ruby?"

-"Being a wireless artificial intelligence, I am capable of taking control of any robotic or machinery systems. That could give us a tactical advantage in this environment."

-"Well, lucky you." 

-"Your brainwave signals suggest jealousy."

     I shook my head as I kept crawling. I finally exited the vents and looked around.

-"Ruby, where's the blueprints?" I asked.

-"Scanning...two floors above us and 50 meters south." she said.

     I went to the stairs and went up two floors and sneaked through the hallway.

-"Pilot, in case you aren't aware, your helmet has given you the ability to cloak for a short time." Ruby said.

-"Why didn't you tell me this before?!" I asked, a little annoyed.

-"You did not request that I mention it."

     I made it to the door to the command center.

-"Ruby, can you make it into the building's power systems?" I asked.

-"I am already connected." She said.

-"Kill the lights when I enter and turn on the night vision on my visor."

-"Light bulbs are not living things and thus, cannot be killed."

-"I mean just turn them off!"

-"Understood."

     I placed a breaching charge on the door and detonated it as the lights went off. I entered the command center and took out everyone inside. I would have to work fast, they were going to send squads to my position when Planeptune realizes that they aren't responding.

-"Ruby, plug into the system and pull the info." I said as I put Ruby's chip into the mainframe.

     I waited a few moments before she spoke again.

-"Done. Retrieve me and let's head back." She said.

     I pulled her out of the mainframe and went back downstairs. They put the facility on lock down after discovering the bodies upstairs. I would have to leave with brute force. We made it into the experimental robotics testing facility and took cover.

-"Ruby, anything in here that could help us escape?" I asked.

-"Scanning...I have detected a large robotic suit that we could both control to escape." She said.

-"It'll work." 

     We sneaked over to the mech, actually using my cloak this time, and Ruby took control of it. Everyone else aimed their weapons at us and I simply turned to face them.

-"Protocol 3 engaged: Protect the Pilot." Ruby said.

-"Let's have some fun Ruby." I said.

-"I am physically not capable to "fun" Nanuk."

-"*sigh* You know what I mean."

20 MINUTES LATER

     Pretty much everyone at the research facility was dead and Ruby and I were about to leave when we heard choppers behind us.

-"Pilot, I suggest you embark for maximum efficiency." Ruby said.

-"Alright, open up." I said.

     Her pilot seat opened and I embarked.

-"Transferring controls to Pilot." she said.

-"Let's do this." I said excitedly.

10 MINUTES LATER

     We were being chased by Planeptune military and I got separated from Ruby. I was running as fast as I could until I reached the edge of a waterfall. I turned back to see Mike himself standing there.

-"I heard our little "Titan" project had been hijacked but I never thought that it was YOU that stole it. So where is it kid?" Mike asked with a threatening tone.

     I simply looked back down over the waterfall, that was a long drop.

-"A pity you are incapable of flight." Mike mocked me.

-"*scoff* yeah, like I'm gonna let THAT stop me." I said as I jumped off the waterfall.

     As I was falling, I was approaching the ground faster and faster.

-"RUBY!" I yelled.

     I saw a robotic hand emerge from the water stream and catch me.

-"Got you." She said.

     I gave her a thumbs up and she looked at her own hand, looking a little confused but then returned the gesture.

-"Let's get home, I'm sure Anonydeath will be happy of our little discovery." I said.

-"I also presume his brain wave activity to be quite active." she said.

2 HOURS LATER

     We arrived at the command center and reported to Anonydeath.

-"Sir, mission accomplished." I said.

-"Excellent. I presume that you have the blueprints?" He asked.

-"Show him Ruby."

     Ruby made a hologram appear, showing the 3D blueprints.

-"Splendid! By the way, did you manage to see if they already have any of these prototypes built yet?" He asked.

-"Unfortunately, the system did not contain any information on that subject." Ruby said.

-"I see, that is unfortunate, but not your fault. You're both dismissed." He said.

     I saluted before leaving. Once I was home, I as about to get into bed when I heard Ruby's voice.

-"Nanuk, what time should I set the alarm for?" She asked.

-"Wait, Ruby?!" I panicked.

-"Yes?"

-"How are you still talking to me? My helmet's off!"

-"We performed a neural link which has allowed me to speak with you even when not wearing the helmet. However, I cannot scan the environment or perform analysis without the helmet. But I can still do simple things."

-"That reminds me, Ruby?"

-"Yes?"

-"Earlier, you mentioned something about protocols? What are those?"

-"I have three primary protocols that I am obligated to follow. Would you like me to list them?"

-"Yes please."

-"Protocol 1: Always maintain a neural link to the Pilot. Protocol 2: Uphold the mission. Protocol 3: Protect the Pilot, no matter the cost."

-"So, in a way, they're kinda like the three laws of robotics?"

-"In some ways they are similar but they are two different things for two different types of artificial intelligence."

-"Thank you Ruby."

-"You're welcome Pilot. I shall put myself in sleep mode until you wake up, is that okay?"

-"Yeah, it is. Goodnight Ruby."

-"You will have to explain to me what that means later."

-"*chuckle* Typical A.I."

     I fell asleep in bed feeling like I had done some great work and made a new friend today.

Author's Note: Gave up on the audio book thing sorry :(