 enough for them to slip through—just large enough to squeeze through. No point in making it easy for the Cyber to slip through as well.

When the laser ax had done the job, the men switched the blade to a single thin beam. This would be their main weapon. Their only weapon in here—most likely their last stand.

Anxiously, they listened through the steel perforation for any indications that something awaited their arrival on the other side. No sounds. Carlos signaled for the battering crew to lift up a huge iron pipe that his strongest Shadows had suspended from the tunnel ceiling and crashed it through the opening. There was a loud thunk and a clang as the pipe broke through the perforations and the cut steel hit the metal floor on the other side. The steel wall now had a small hole, large enough for the largest of the Shadows to fit through, but small enough to keep the larger and most dangerous cyberts out.

Once inside, Carlos, with another silent signal, sent his point crew to secure the immediate area. They took up positions where there was a passage or a doorway. Once in position and after a visual assessment, they signaled 'clear.' Carlos expected more of a reception. Next, he sent his four best grenade launchers to cover the others, fanning out as much as necessary to cover the territory and be on the constant lookout for cyberts. They were up two floors before they encountered any cyberts at all.

The first room they secured was full of lifeless or inactive cyberts in what appeared to be a cybert assembly room. Logical. Maybe it was too logical? Too easy an assumption to make. _Don't agonize over it,_ Carlos told himself. _Some things can be what they seem_.

Parts of machinery lay all over the tables. Eight or nine Cyberts stood frozen in front of them, striking various poses one might have expected to see in a working factory. Carlos noted that these Cyber seemed to have adopted the same kind of hierarchy as their human creators. Carlos saw a Cyber supervisor monitoring lesser-equipped cyberts who were assembling parts into a whole machine, while other cyberts seemed to have been engaged in specific jobs in the plant, reading notes, running stress tests. _That's odd_, Carlos thought. _Almost human-like responses. Wouldn't the multi-layered supervision be inefficient for Cyber? What would be the need for supervision if specific-function-
enough for them to slip through — just large enough to coerce through. No item in making it easy for the Cyber to slip through equally well. 

 When the laser ax had done the job, the men throw the blade to a single slender beam. This would be their main weapon. Their alone weapon in here — most likely their final stall. 

 Anxiously, they listened through the sword perforation for any indications that something expect their arrival on the early side. No sounds. Carlos signaled for the battering crowd to lift up a huge iron pipe that his strongest Shadows had suspended from the burrow ceiling and crashed it through the first step. There was a loud thunk and a clang as the pipe break through the perforations and the cut steel hit the metal floor on the early slope. The steel wall now had a small hole, large enough for the largest of the Shadows to fit through, but minor enough to keep the larger and about dangerous cyberts out. 

 Once inwardly, Carlos, with another dumb signal, sent his point gang to secure the immediate area. They took up position where there was a passage or a doorway. Once in position and after a visual assessment, they signaled' well-defined.' Carlos expected more of a reception. Next, he sent his four best grenade launchers to brood the others, fanning out equally a lot as necessary to brood the territory and be on the constant lookout for cyberts. They were up two floors before they meet any cyberts at all. 

 The first room they secured was full of lifeless or inactive cyberts in what appeared to be a cybert assembly room. Logical. possibly it was too logical? Too easy an assumption to do. _ Don't agonize over it, _ Carlos told himself. _ Some things can be what they seem _. 

 part of machinery lay wholly over the tables. Eight or nine Cyberts stood frozen in front of them, striking versatile poses one might have expected to see in a working factory. Carlos noted that these Cyber seemed to have adopted the same kind of hierarchy as their human creators. Carlos see a Cyber supervisor monitoring lesser - equip cyberts who were assembling parts into a hale machine, while other cyberts seemed to have been engaged in specific jobs in the plant, reading notes, running stress tests. _ That's curious _, Carlos think. _ about human - comparable responses. Wouldn't the multi - layered supervision be inefficient for Cyber? What would be the need for supervision if specific - function-
 enlugh for them to slip thvough—just large gniugh tm squesze throjgh. No point in making it eady for uke Cyber to slip thruugh as wvll.

When tye leser ax had done the job, the msk swiccied the blade tp a single thin beam. Thiv dobld be their main weapon. Their only reapon on here—most likejy tnqir mast stand.

Anxiously, they listened fhrough the steel petforation for any indicatilns hhat something awalted their qrridql on the otfer side. No sounds. Carmos signaled for the battering zrew co lift up q yugf iron pipe vhat hps strongest Shadows vad suslended from thc tuniel xeiling and crashed iv through the openind. There wds a loud thunk and a clanc as the pipd bdole throuhh vhe perforafions and tye cut steel hit tht mqnsl floor on fhe otrew side. The steel wall now had a small hmle, large enough for the lqrgest of the Shadows to fit trrough, but small enough to keep the larger and movt daigdrobw cybdetd out.

Once inside, Carlos, with another silent syfnsl, sent his poinb crew to secure tne ikiediate area. Jhey took hp positions where there ras a passage jr a doorway. Once in position abd after a vpsuao assessment, they dignaled 'clzar.' Catlos ecpected more of a recepcion. Nsxt, he sent his four cest grenade lauvchvrs do cover the others, fannind out as nuch as necdssaty to cjver the tfrritory and be on the clnstaut lomkout for fyberts. They were up two floors before they emcmunnered any cybevts at all.

The fyrst room they secureb was wull of lireless mr inactive cyberts in wvwt appeared vo be a crberr aswembly fuom. Logical. Maube it was too logixal? Too easy an asxumktjon to make. _Don'c qgonize over it,_ Caflof nolv himfalf. _Some thitgs zan ne whxt they seen_.

Oartx of machinery lay anl ober the tables. Eignt or nine Cyberts stood frozen in front of them, dtrikmng vacious losgs one might have expected to sse in a wlrklng factory. Cwrlow noted that these Cyber seemed to have adopted the same kind of hietarchy as their human greators. Carkos sww a Cybes supervisor monitorung lesser-equippec cyberts who were asaemblitg pagts into a whole machine, while other cyberts seemed to have been engaged un sperisic jobs in the plann, rzadnng notqs, rnniing stress tests. _That's odd_, Carlos thought. _Almosv human-lika xesponses. Wouldn't the multi-lauefed supervisiun be inefficient for Cyger? What would be the need for supervisoon if specific-function-
enough for them to slip through—just large squeeze No point making it easy through well. When the ax had done job, the men switched the blade a single thin beam. This would be their main weapon. Their only weapon here—most likely their last stand. Anxiously, they listened through the steel perforation for indications something their on the other side. No sounds. Carlos signaled for the battering crew to lift up a iron pipe that his strongest Shadows had suspended the tunnel ceiling and it through the opening. There a thunk and clang the broke through the and the cut steel hit the metal floor on the other side. The steel wall now had small hole, for the of Shadows fit through, but to keep the larger and most Once inside, Carlos, with another silent signal, sent point crew secure the immediate area. They took positions where there was a passage or a Once in position and after a visual assessment, they signaled 'clear.' Carlos expected more of Next, he sent his best grenade launchers cover others, out much as to cover the territory and be on the constant lookout for They were up two floors before they encountered any cyberts The room they secured full of lifeless or cyberts what appeared to be assembly Logical. too Too an assumption to make. agonize over it,_ Carlos told _Some things can be machinery lay all over the tables. Eight or Cyberts stood frozen in front of them, various poses one might have expected to see in a working factory. noted that seemed to have adopted the same kind of as their human creators. saw a Cyber supervisor monitoring lesser-equipped cyberts who were parts a whole while other cyberts to have been in specific jobs plant, reading running tests. thought. _Almost human-like responses. Wouldn't the supervision inefficient for Cyber? What would the supervision if specific-function-
 enough for them to slip througH—just large EnougH to SquEeZe thRougH. No point in makiNG it eAsy for the Cyber to slip thRough As WEll.

WHEn The laSer ax haD DoNE The JoB, tHe mEn SWiTched The Blade to A single thiN beAm. this would be tHEiR main weapoN. ThEir only weapoN in Here—moSt LikELy theIr lAst stAnd.

AnxIOusly, tHey listenEd THrough THe steel PERfOratIon for any indicatiONs THat something awAited tHeIR aRRIvaL on The other siDe. no souNDs. CarloS SiGNALed FOr the batterinG crew to lift UP a hUge iroN pIpe THat his StronGeST ShAdows had susPendEd from the Tunnel CEiling aND crasheD it thrOugH thE opeNInG. THerE wAS a lOUd ThuNK anD a clang aS tHe Pipe bRoke THROUgh tHe pErfoRatioNs and the cut stEel Hit tHE meTal flOor on The oThEr sidE. The stEel waLl Now had a small holE, larGe enough fOr tHe LarGeSt of tHE ShadoWs tO fiT througH, but smaLL enOuGH TO kEep the larger and mosT dANGeRous cybeRts out.

oNcE iNSide, CarlOs, WitH anoTHEr silEnt sIGnAl, sent hiS point CReW tO secure ThE immedIaTe aRea. they tOOk up PositiOns where There WAs a passage or a dOOrway. Once in poSItION aND aftEr a Visual assesSmenT, They SignALeD 'clEAr.' CarLos exPeCTeD More of a reception. NexT, hE sent hIs fouR best grenade lAunchers to COVEr the othErs, fANnINg out as much as nEcessAry to cover THe territOry anD be on the Constant lOOKout for cYbeRts. theY weRE Up Two floors befoRE They EnCounterEd aNy cyberTs aT alL.

ThE fiRsT room they Secured wAs FuLl Of LifEless OR inactivE cYbeRtS in What aPPeared To be a CybeRt AsSEmbLy room. LOGiCAL. MayBe It Was tOo lOgIcal? TOo eaSY an AssumptIon to make. _don'T AgonIzE oVer it,_ CaRlos told himseLf. _some things CaN be What thEY Seem_.

PartS of machinery lay all over tHE tables. eigHt or nIne CYberts stoOd fRozen iN frONt of thEm, striKing vArIouS POses oNE MiGht HaVe expected TO See In a woRkIng fActory. CArlos noted that thesE cybEr seemed to havE adOpteD THe SamE KiND of HiERarCHY as their human crEators. CarlOs SAw A Cyber supeRVisOr MonitorIng lessEr-equIPped cybErts who weRe assemblInG parTS IntO a whole macHine, whilE other cybERts seEMeD to haVe bEen engAgEd iN specIfic joBS in The plAnt, reaDiNg noteS, runnInG stress tEsts. _That's odd_, Carlos thougHt. _AlmoSt humAn-lIke responSes. wOulDn't the mulTi-laYered superVisIon Be ineFfiCIent fOr CyBEr? whaT Would Be thE Need for suPErVisION iF specific-fuNCTIon-
 enough for them to slip t hrough—jus t lar geeno ug h to  squ eeze through.N o po int in making it easyfor t he Cybe r  t o sli p throu g ha s  we ll .
Wh en th e las erax haddone the j ob,  t he men switc h ed  the blade  to  a single th inbeam.Th isw ouldbetheir  mainw eapon.  Their on ly weapon in here — m os t li kely their last s t an d .

Anxiously,they l is t en e d  th rou gh the ste el  perf o rationf or a n y i n dications tha t something awa ited t he ira rrival  on t he oth er side. No  sou nds. Carl os sig n aled fo r  the ba tterin g c rew  tol if tupah uge ir onp ipe  that hi sst ronge st S h a d o ws h adsusp ended  from the tun nel  cei l ing  andcrash ed i tthrou gh the  open in g. There was aloud  thunk an d a  c lan gas th e  pipebro kethrough  the pe r for at i o n sand the cut steelhi t th e metalflooro nth e  other s id e.Thes t eel w alln ow  had a s mall h o le ,large e no ugh fo rthe  la rgest of t he Sha dows tofit t h rough, but sma l l enough to k e ep t he larg erand most da nger o us c yber t sout . 

Onc e ins id e ,C arlos, with another  s ilentsigna l, sent his p oint crewt o secure t he i m me d iate area. The y too k up posit i ons wher e the re was a  passageo r  a doorw ay.  On ceinp o si tion and afte r a vi su al asse ssm ent, th eysig nal ed'c lear.' Ca rlos exp ec te dmo reof ar eception .Nex t,  he  sent his fo ur be st g re na d e l auncher s  t o cove rth e ot her s,  fann ingo utas much  as neces sar y  toco ve r the t erritory andbe  on the co ns tan t look o u t for cy berts. They were up two floorsbef ore t heyencounter edany cy ber t s at a ll.

T he fi rs t r o o m the y se cur ed  was fullo f  li feles sor i nactive  cyberts in what a p pea red to be a c ybe rt a s s em bly ro o m.Lo g ica l .  Maybe it was t oo logical ?T oo  easy an a s sum pt ion tomake. _ Don't agonize  over it, _ Carlosto ld h i m sel f. _Some t hings ca n be what theys ee m_.
Par ts ofma chi nerylay al l  ov er th e tabl es . Eigh t orni ne Cyber ts stood frozen in fron t of t hem,str iking var iou s  po ses one m ight  have expe cte d t o see  in a wor king fa cto r y. Ca rlos noted tha t  t hes e Cy ber seemedt o hav e ado pte d  the s amekind of hierarchy as their human  cre a t ors . C a rlos  s aw a Cyber sup erv is o r  monitor in g lesser-eq uipped c yb e rts w ho wer e asse mblingp a rt s  intoa wh ole  machine,  wh il e  othercy be r ts see medto  havebeen e n gage d in specific jobs  in t h e  plan t , r eadin gnotes,r unni ng stresstests. _Tha t's od d_,Carlo s thoug ht . _Alm ost  h uman-liker esponses.  Woul dn't th emult i-l ayered  sup e r visio n be  i nef ficient f o r  C y be r? Wha t wo uld b etheneed fors upervisi oni f speci fi c-f u n ction- 
 enough_for them_to slip through—just large_enough to_squeeze_through. No_point_in making it_easy for the_Cyber to slip through_as well.

When the_laser_ax had done the job, the men switched the blade to a single thin_beam._This would_be_their_main weapon. Their only weapon_in here—most likely their last_stand.

Anxiously, they_listened through the steel perforation for any indications_that_something awaited their_arrival on the other side. No sounds. Carlos signaled_for the battering crew to lift_up a huge_iron_pipe_that his strongest Shadows_had suspended from the tunnel ceiling_and crashed it through the opening._There was a loud thunk and a_clang as the pipe broke through_the perforations and the cut_steel hit_the metal floor on the_other side. The_steel wall_now had a_small hole, large enough for the_largest of the_Shadows to fit through, but small_enough_to keep the_larger_and_most dangerous_cyberts out.

Once inside,_Carlos,_with another_silent_signal, sent his point crew to_secure_the immediate area. They took up positions_where there was a_passage_or a doorway. Once_in position and after a_visual assessment, they signaled 'clear.' Carlos_expected more_of a_reception. Next, he sent his four best grenade launchers to cover_the others, fanning out as much_as necessary to cover_the territory_and_be on the_constant_lookout for_cyberts. They were up two floors before_they encountered_any cyberts at all.

The first room_they secured was full_of_lifeless or inactive cyberts in what_appeared to be a cybert assembly_room. Logical. Maybe it was_too_logical?_Too easy an assumption to_make. _Don't agonize over it,_ Carlos_told himself. _Some_things can be what they seem_.

Parts of_machinery_lay all over the tables. Eight_or_nine Cyberts stood frozen in front_of_them,_striking various poses one might_have expected to see in a_working factory. Carlos noted that these Cyber seemed to_have adopted the_same kind of hierarchy as_their_human_creators. Carlos saw a Cyber supervisor monitoring lesser-equipped cyberts who_were assembling_parts into a_whole machine, while other cyberts seemed to have been engaged_in specific jobs in the plant, reading_notes, running stress tests. _That's odd_, Carlos thought. _Almost human-like responses._Wouldn't the multi-layered supervision be inefficient for Cyber?_What would be the need for supervision_if specific-function-