The Murderbot Diaries, #7
System Collapse
by Martha Wells
Contents
Chapter Ten
Overview
SecUnit’s escape route through the unused hangar turns into another ambush when Barish-Estranza SecUnits kill ScoutDrone2 and close in on the team. Leonide confirms that the corporate attack is a management mutiny over lost profits, raising the stakes for ART, Preservation, and the colonists.
SecUnit and ART-drone defeat two hostile SecUnits, but both are badly damaged before a third, governor-free SecUnit warns them to flee. With Ratthi taking the shuttle to a rendezvous, the remaining group escapes incoming Barish-Estranza forces in an old pseudohopper piloted by Tarik and Leonide.
Summary
SecUnit, Iris, Tarik, Leonide, and ART-drone move toward the powered-down section and the unused hangar, hoping to use the tunnel route back to the terraforming construction access. The humans reseal their environmental suits, and Iris patches SecUnit’s leaking suit, which visibly confuses Leonide because Iris treats SecUnit as a teammate rather than equipment.
While crossing the dark cargo area, Iris questions Leonide about the Barish-Estranza rebellion. Leonide admits there is a management schism driven by a faction angry about losing bonuses for failed operational goals, meaning the mutiny may target not only Leonide but also Preservation, ART, and the colonists. ART-drone warns that Barish-Estranza may decide eliminating the Preservation team is the next logical step, and SecUnit worries that ART-prime may be forced to escalate if the colonists are used as hostages.
As the group enters the hangar, AdaCol2 ends contact and tells SecUnit to be safe. SecUnit discovers that the vehicle at the tunnel entrance is gone, then ScoutDrone2 is destroyed without warning. SecUnit orders the light off, moves the humans through cover, and realizes hostile Barish-Estranza SecUnits are hunting them in the dark.
SecUnit directs Iris, Tarik, and Leonide toward a raised landing platform with an old pseudohopper, hoping the height will let ART-drone extract them. A hostile SecUnit attacks, and SecUnit intercepts it in close combat despite being unarmored, injured, and low on power. ART-drone arrives with FinalDrone, jams the enemy SecUnits’ connection to their controller, and stops a second hostile SecUnit from shooting the humans, though ART-drone is badly damaged in the fight.
After SecUnit disables the first attacker and ART-drone destroys the second, a third SecUnit appears but reveals it has disabled its governor module. This freed SecUnit warns that Barish-Estranza forces are two minutes away, refuses to come with SecUnit, and leaves to hide its defection. SecUnit rescues the impaired ART-drone and climbs to the platform while Ratthi lifts off in the shuttle and heads for the terraforming access rendezvous.
On the platform, Tarik and Leonide work together uneasily to start the semi-derelict pseudohopper while Iris helps secure injured SecUnit and ART-drone inside. As Barish-Estranza forces reach the hangar and open fire, the pseudohopper drops off the landing platform, gains flight, and shoots into the tunnel toward escape.
Who Appears
- SecUnitProtects the team, fights hostile SecUnits while injured, and pushes through panic and low power.
- ART-droneArrives to support the rescue, jams enemy control, destroys a hostile SecUnit, and is badly damaged.
- IrisPatches SecUnit’s suit, presses Leonide for answers, and helps evacuate damaged SecUnit and ART-drone.
- TarikHelps guide Leonide, suggests using the high platform, and helps start the old pseudohopper.
- LeonideAdmits Barish-Estranza has a management schism and helps pilot the pseudohopper despite hostility.
- RatthiCoordinates from the shuttle, searches for useful equipment, and reluctantly moves to the rendezvous.
- AdaCol2Limits map access to protect colonist defenses, ends contact, and tells SecUnit to be safe.
- Freed Barish-Estranza SecUnitA governor-disabled SecUnit warns SecUnit that enemy forces are two minutes away.
- Hostile Barish-Estranza SecUnitsAmbush the escape route, destroy ScoutDrone2, and attack SecUnit, ART-drone, and the humans.