Galactic Battle

by Zac Harrison

  “Translation, please?” John said.

  “Essentially, their brains can’t communicate with their bodies,” Kaal explained. “It’s sabotage. These robots have been paralyzed.”

  “Can you fix them?” John demanded anxiously.

  Kaal looked worried. “I can try to run a bypass, but it’s risky. These things may look like brutes, but their circuits are delicate. If I mess it up, the feedback could fry their brains completely.”

  “We don’t have a choice. Better get on with it.”

  Frowning hard in concentration, Kaal unplugged some cables, twisted them together, and plugged them into new places, talking to himself as he worked. “Okay, that’s the synaptic bridge . . . now the main neurolink . . . I’ve got to fuse them . . .”

  There was a fizz of arcing electricity and a bright glare, as Kaal welded something loose back into place with the ToTool.

  Suddenly, Crusher’s eyes lit up. Its head lurched upward. It lifted its huge arm. Slowly, it turned to face John.

  “READY FOR ORDERS,” it grated.

  “Phew,” said Kaal. “I guess it worked after all! Now for the others.”

  John checked the time. Eight more minutes. “Come on, Kaal!” he muttered.

  Kaal’s huge fingers worked frantically, opening up robot after robot. “I’m really not sure about this, John!” he said, as one robot after another sparked into life. “I’ve never done this kind of repair work before.”

  “I can see why you were a Robot Warriors champion,” Kritta said, admiration creeping into her voice.

  “I wish we could just go to the Junkyard,” Kaal moaned. “There’s no spare parts, so I’m having to borrow bits from one section to fix another! I’m sure I’ve broken something, somewhere.”

  “You’re doing great!” John reassured him.

  “There,” Kaal panted, stepping back. Steel Storm, the last of the Defendroids to be repaired, straightened up with an odd mechanical buzz-click. “I just hope that’s good enough.”

  “It’ll have to be,” said John. “We don’t have time to do anything else!”

  The corridors were disturbingly empty as the three teammates hurried to the Center. The Defendroids pounded along behind them, their footfalls shaking the floor.

  “Everyone must be inside already!” Kaal gasped. “I hope we’re not too late!”

  Lorem’s amplified voice echoed through the empty corridors. “Welcome, one and all, to the Space Spectacular! And an especially hearty welcome to all the parents who have joined us today, from systems as far apart as Zeta Reticuli and Deneb!”

  “We’re missing the opening speech,” Kritta moaned.

  It’s so hard not to break into a run! John thought. Maybe we should risk it. There are no Examiners around, after all.

  Then he thought of how Mordant would taunt him if John spent the Space Spectacular in detention. He walked briskly, refusing to run.

  The three teammates crashed through the doors of the Center a full five minutes late. Heads nearby turned to stare at them, but most eyes were still fixed on Lorem. The Center had been returned to its deep black amphitheater shape, with the swollen black MorphSeats.

  “Looks like we’re just in time!” Kaal whispered.

  Ms. Vartexia came bustling over. “There you are! Right. Get down to the preparation room straight away. Down those steps. Hurry!”

  The preparation area, hidden away below the Center, was a combination of dressing room and observation lounge. An arched tunnel led up to the main stage. Screens on all the walls showed different views of the stage up above. John guessed that had to be Lorem’s thoughtful doing, to ensure the students didn’t miss each other’s performances. Most of the gathered teams were watching Lorem’s welcoming speech, but a few were going through last-minute briefings.

  John, Kaal, and Kritta left the Defendroids parked against the back wall and met up with the rest of their Galactic Battle team in front of the main viewing screen. John looked around for Emmie, and caught a brief glimpse of her silver hair vanishing up the tunnel along with the rest of her team. Just my luck that they’re on first, he thought ruefully.

  Lorem, who looked even more dazzling than usual under the stage lighting, concluded his welcome speech: “So, without further ado, I am proud to present the Zero-G Acrobatics team! Zepp, if you would activate the ZeBub, please?”

  The dim outline of a sphere appeared, enclosing most of the empty space at the heart of the Center. Booming symphonic music began to play.

  John watched the screen, his heart pounding. Emmie, Mordant, and a troupe of other silver-suited students walked up the steps to the stage and launched themselves into the ZeBub, tumbling in midair flips and coming to a stop at the top of the sphere. Arms and legs outspread, they formed an arch of starlike figures. Their team was far larger than the Galactic Battle team, John now saw; there were at least twenty of them.

  I wish I could have talked to Emmie before she went out on stage, John thought. If only we’d been quicker getting here! In spite of everything else to contend with today, he had to tell her that Mordant had framed them all along.

  John noticed that all of the performers in the Zero-G Acrobatics team wore jet-belts. It seemed to be part of the equipment, since you couldn’t maneuver in zero gravity without some sort of propulsion, but on these belts, the jet blasts had been tinted with colored smoke.

  As the acrobatics display continued, Mordant and Emmie gently span out from the group in opposite directions, leaving rainbow trails in their wake. The rest of the group followed, half going one way and half the other.

  “Oooh!” came the gasp from the crowd.

  John watched, as amazed as the rest of the audience.

  Emmie and Mordant leaped out into the center of the ZeBub and clasped hands, rotating around one another. John strained to catch a glimpse of her face. She was smiling, but to John it looked fake — all part of the act.

  Next, two more acrobats leaped in and joined them, followed by two more. The combined vapor trails made a luminous wheel effect. Eventually, the entire team was whirling like a pinwheel. It reminded John of something very familiar — and then he saw it. They were imitating a spiral galaxy.

  John’s jaw dropped. He’d never seen a student performance as stunning as this. It was like a fabulous underwater ballet crossed with a fireworks display.

  “How are we going to follow this?” Kritta whispered, her insect eyes appearing even bigger than usual.

  “Let’s worry about that when it’s our turn!” John said.

  The acrobats began to break away from the galaxy formation, flying out in a starburst of colors. Eventually, only Emmie and Mordant were left, spinning faster and faster.

  John held his breath. This could be the moment! It would be so easy for Mordant to let go of her now. And if he did, Emmie would fly straight out of the ZeBub, and over the heads of the crowd, in full gravity.

  But to his relief, Mordant didn’t drop her. Instead, they began to rise together, then broke away and fired their jet-belts at once, gracefully completing a full rotation and touching down on the stage feetfirst.

  The other acrobats steadily landed behind them, like starfighters coming back to base. The crowd applauded wildly. John joined in, primarily out of relief that Emmie was okay.

  Immediately afterward, the Traditional Music team headed up to replace the Zero-G Acrobatics team, who had begun walking back into the backstage area looking exhausted but triumphant.

  Mordant smirked at John, as if to say, “Follow that!” but his expression changed to one of horror when he caught sight of the Defendroids at the back of the room.

  “What’s the matter?” John yelled. “Surprised to see them working?”

  “How did —” Mordant started to say, then stopped himself.

  Behind him, Emmie looked puzzled. “Mordant? What�
�s wrong?”

  “Stay out of this!” Mordant snapped.

  He beckoned over G-Vez and angrily whispered something.

  John couldn’t hear what Mordant was saying, but from the furious look in his yellow eyes, it was obvious that G-Vez was getting a vicious talking-to.

  “I’m sorry, young master,” said G-Vez, bobbing apologetically. “I followed your instructions exactly. I deactivated the Def—”

  “Get lost, or I’ll throw you in the Junkyard!” interrupted Mordant. Then he turned to Emmie and grabbed her arm. “Come on,” he growled. “Let’s go watch the other acts.”

  “I’ve got a lot to think about right now,” she shot back, yanking her arm out of Mordant’s grip. “Alone!”

  And with that, she ran from the room, vanishing up the back stairs.

  Mordant stood, fuming, then rejoined his team and their celebrations.

  What should I do now? John wondered. There was no way he could chase after Emmie — he needed to be here with his team — although he badly wanted to talk to her. Had it finally clicked for her? Did she realize that Mordant had used G-Vez to sabotage the Defendroids?

  As John waited for his team’s turn, he continued to watch the Spectacular. The Traditional Music team was still on stage, and it turned out to be a Callifraxian orchestral suite. Students drummed on opal-colored shells and blew trombone-like notes from labyrinthine glass pipes. On any other day, it might have been soothing to listen to, but John was far too tense to enjoy it today.

  He bit his fingernails throughout the Plasma Sculpting and Star Dance displays. He barely noticed the performing Kvellian Razorbeasts, Brainsquids, and Braxian Firehounds in the Alien Life Form Training act. And all through Live Holo-Theater, he could think of nothing but his own upcoming performance.

  Finally, Lorem called out, “For our last act today, it is my great pleasure to present the Galactic Battle team!”

  Together, the team strode onto the blazing stage. The audience began to clap and then gasped as soon as they saw the immense Defendroids stomp onstage behind them.

  “Please don’t be alarmed,” Lorem said. “Although they seem menacing, the Defendroids are perfectly safe.”

  The Defendroids moved to form a line at one end of the stage. John and the others formed a line at the other. He checked that his Hot Shot was fully loaded.

  We can do this, he thought. After everything we’ve been through, everything we’ve learned, I know we can defeat these things.

  John’s teammates stood by his side, their weapons at the ready. They looked cool, confident, and braced to attack.

  “Attack will begin in five,” boomed an automated voice, “four, three . . .”

  “Okay, guys,” John whispered. “This is it. Good luck!”

  “Two, one. Activate.”

  The Defendroids lumbered forward as one.

  Kaal and Monix ignited their LaserPros and ran forward, hacking and slicing at the robots. Whizzing SonicArrows flew across the stage, striking sparks off the robots where they hit. Dyfi scored an instant headshot on Dicer, causing the oncoming robot to stagger and fall to one metal knee.

  John lined up his first shot and fired. It slammed into Steel Storm’s chest. The robot’s eyes blazed red, and it let out a rattling roar. Currents of raw electricity writhed over its upraised fist. Then the machine ran faster toward John.

  That didn’t happen in practice! he thought. They’re supposed to retreat when we hit them, not fight back!

  Quickly, John looked closer at the other Defendroids. They were acting the same. The more the team hit them, the more aggressive they seemed to get.

  A sudden cold flash of realization dawned. They’re in full aggression mode! John thought.

  CHAPTER 13

  The Defendroids were advancing, and they weren’t playing games.

  “HYPERSPACE HIGH UNDER ATTACK!” they roared. “DESTROY ALL HOSTILES.”

  “Uh oh, guys,” said Kaal. “I think my repairs might have overridden the training mode setting.”

  “I don’t want to be destroyed!” Dyfi wailed, just as Crusher was bearing down on her, its huge feet threatening to squash her like a cockroach.

  Monix slashed hard with her LaserPro, knocking one of Crusher’s legs out from under it.

  As Crusher tottered, Dyfi took aim with her Hot Shot and blasted it in the chest. The robot clutched at the ground, struggling to get up.

  The audience yelled encouragement, cheering and clapping.

  “Go, Dyfi. Go!” squeaked a high-pitched voice from somewhere in the crowd — a voice similar to Dyfi’s. It had to be someone from her family.

  They think it’s part of the act! thought John. We’re about to get bashed to a pulp, and they’re applauding!

  Meanwhile, Kaal was in trouble. He’d run further across the stage than any of the others, and now he found himself facing Lasher, Slicer, and Steel Storm all at once. Holding his LaserPro in both hands, he frantically struck out around him, driving them back. His LaserPro was like a whirling bar of white-hot metal, striking sprays of sparks wherever it hit.

  Slicer and Steel Storm fell back, but Lasher was whirling its arm faster and faster, creating a shield of spinning metal. Kaal tried to strike through it, but the Defendroid knocked Kaal’s LaserPro clean out of his hands.

  Lasher’s wrecking-ball arm curled up like a scorpion sting, ready to strike. The audience gasped.

  One blow, and Kaal’s flying days would be over — and so would, perhaps, his life.

  “Tarope! Kritta!” John yelled. “Help Kaal!”

  Tarope and Kritta quickly exchanged glances and nodded. They each threw a SonicArrow. The silvery shafts struck home in Lasher’s neck, jamming themselves deep into the machinery.

  The Defendroid gave a wavering roar and clutched at the embedded weapons with its claw hand, trying to tug them free.

  Kaal seized the opportunity to snatch up his LaserPro, then leaped over Lasher’s head and glided back down on the other side.

  “That was too close!” he said, gasping.

  The Galactic Battle team was back together now, all gathered on the side of the stage where they’d started. But the Defendroids were rallying, too. Steel Storm grabbed the fallen Crusher’s upper arm, and the sudden surge of electricity seemed to revive the fallen robot. It propped itself back on its feet.

  End of round one, John thought. We’re still alive — for now.

  However, the audience was loving every moment. A fresh round of applause resounded around the Center.

  Steel Storm swiveled its enormous head to the left and right. “MULTIPLE ADDITIONAL TARGETS DETECTED!” it boomed, its voice deeper than the rest. “POTENTIALLY HOSTILE. ALL DEFENDROIDS, MOVE TO TERMINATE THREATS.”

  “Ooh, how exciting!” called out a green, shrub-like extraterrestrial in the front row. “How’s that for a twist? The robots are going to attack us, too!”

  “Help us, Galactic Battle team!” called a gooey creature behind her with a huge smirk, playing along. “Hurry! We’re all in terrible danger.”

  “You have no idea . . .” John said under his breath. “Um, Zepp, any time you want to step in — that’s fine with me!”

  “I am not authorized to override the Defendroids, John,” Zepp answered.

  The Defendroids had begun moving purposefully now, heading for the edge of the stage. Within moments, they would be wading through the defenseless families in the audience. If Zepp wasn’t going to put a stop to the battle, John had to do something — and fast!

  He thought back to the ancient warfare simulations he’d played on his computer back at home. How had the Spartans beaten back the Persians? How had the Roman Empire conquered half the world? Formation, that’s the key!

  The Defendroids had begun swinging their weapon arms threateningly. They purposefully took one step forward and the
n another, as if they had all the time in the world. Their eyes glowed as fiercely as hot coals.

  Some parents had begun stamping and chanting, “Fight! Fight! Fight!” Not one of them showed any sign of knowing the danger they were in.

  In his mind’s eye, John saw the Battle of Gettysburg as his old school’s history teacher had explained it. When the Confederacy charged on day three of the battle, the Union Army first attacked with cannon fire, followed by artillery fire from Cemetery Hill and Little Round Top, and then by musket and canister fire from Cemetery Ridge. The Union Army waited out their enemies and had them surrounded from all sides.

  Time for some old-fashioned Earth tactics! John thought.

  “We need to go into defensive formation,” he said urgently. “Kaal, Monix, you guys in front! Keep the robots at bay!”

  The two LaserPro wielders bravely ran to stop the Defendroids in their tracks, holding up their weapons like an energized barrier. Good, swordsmen in position, John assured himself.

  “Kritta and Tarope, you take the sides! Don’t let anything circle around past us!”

  “Right!” Tarope yelled. They ran to join Kaal and Monix.

  Spearmen at the flanks, John thought. And now for the archers.

  “Dyfi, get up on my shoulders! We’ll fire over Kaal and Monix’s heads, okay?”

  Dyfi scrambled up John’s back and straddled his shoulders. “Ready to rumble, leader!” she said firmly.

  John ran and stood behind Kaal and Monix. At the sides, Kritta and Tarope had their SonicArrows ready. The formation was complete.

  “Don’t let any of them through,” John said. “Steady!”

  Just then, the Defendroids broke into a run. Four came pounding straight toward Kaal and Monix. John saw that Kaal’s LaserPro was trembling in his grasp.

  The other two robots — Slicer and Dicer — broke away from the group and headed around the sides of the Galactic Battle formation, making straight for the front row of the audience.

  Screams rang out — but they were screams of delight.