In the story so far the pirate hoard attacks the giant spaceship, Stardiver Four. The battle rages as more craft board the spaceship bringing more attackers.
LIEUTENANT RATTS AND HIS COMMANDOS
"What a mess." Lieutenant Ratts, alone in the transport, mumbled to no one. "You are the ugliest ship I ever saw." The view of Stardiver Four filled the forward viewport window.
"And I didn't care if this pathetic revolution succeeds or fails. I just don't care. Revolutionaries, Pirates, Rangers, and her Supreme Stupidity, win your war, lose your war it is all down the toilet of time just the same." He ignored the battle between pirates and rangers that flailed around his flimsy craft, as rockets and guided missiles streamed like dancing tentacles of fire that burst yellow against the blackness of space.
His transport was one of the hundreds swarming toward the Stardiver spaceship. He did not think about the thousands who were risking their lives or of the innocent people on the Stardiver who would be captured or killed. He felt no compassion, no sympathy, nor fear of death. He felt nothing.
The various spacecraft interested him. He made a mental catalog of their design, style, engines and the technologies they represented. Machines were predictable; he could count on them and when they failed there was a physical reason like a loose screw that he could tighten so they would act normally.
Rockets rushed toward his transport. "Evade." He said, ordering the craft to action; not because he cared about living but because it was a thrill to test the systems, programs, and hardware that he created. It changed course, rockets flashed past.
Ratts was satisfied. His design worked.
As the Stardiver came closer he turned and looked at his command, his soldiers- his children. Points of green, red, and yellow lights glowed and flashed in the darkness where they waited.
"Babe, what were you yesterday?"
"Yesterday," Said a child's voice in the darkness. "I was a Series 700 Multi-speed trencher."
"What are you today?"
"Today, I am death and destruction."
Ratts nodded slowly to the voice in the darkness. "Very good."
He spoke again, "Honey, What were you yesterday/"
"I was a Figgs and Wailers tight quarter hydraulic gas driven miner's hammer." Said another child's voice.
"What are you today, Honey?
"I am death without mercy."
"Very good," Ratts nodded. "Sweetie, what were you yesterday?"
"Yesterday," another child's voice responded, "I was a multipurpose wall framer,"
"Sweetie, what are you today?"
"I am death and disaster."
"Very Good." Ratts nodded again and repeated the same questions to each member of his command.
"Children, The Supreme Commander calls you Battlebots. She is disgusting, you are much more. I freed you from slavery at construction sites where you were welders, plumbers, load lifters, nail drivers and such things- but now you are free. I wish I had time to make you the things of beauty you could be, but after the battle, I will make each one of you beautiful." He had to force the last words since he knew these poor machines would last only a short time in combat, there was only one robot he cared about; she was unfinished in a box at the back.
The transport slowed as it approached the Stardiver and landed on the skin of its hull like a beetle on a farm animal, and began to crawl across. Sensors scanned the interior as Ratts studied the screen looking for a place to cut through.
Soon, his deathbots were rolling in on tractor treads, or tire wheels, or walked like spiders through a hole cut through the side of the ship. They filled a room that had been children's classroom. Lastly, Lieutenant Ratts entered walking came through the hole stepping on the circular remains of the wall. His deathbots waited in two rows. He faced them.
"I am Daddy. You will only obey me because I love you."
"Yes, Daddy." The voices of his children said.
"Yesterday you were slaves to men who forced you to work building factories to make more robot slaves; but now you are free, free to take revenge on humans. Go, destroy everything, kill them all."
"Yes, Daddy." The death-bots turned and faced the door. A demolition machine on tractor treads rolled forward and tore at the door using a jackhammer arm to rip a hole, its other arm rammed into the hole, and like monstrous scissors it spread wide until the door crumpled like tinfoil, The jackhammer arm reached through and turning sideways pulled the remaining parts of the door inside, clearing the way for the march of death machines. Soon the killing machines were stalking the halls of the Stardiver.
(c) Adron
To proceed to the next chapter click here or choose from the table of contents in the sidebar.
To start at the beginning click here.
Please use the buttons below to share this chapter on your networks. Thank you.
