The Search For WondLa

by DiTerlizzi, Tony

  “End of messages,” the Omnipod finished.

  “Can you contact Muthr, please?” Eva whispered into the Omnipod.

  “Attempting voice connection to Multi-Utility Task Help Robot zero-six … ,” the device whispered back.

  Eva peeked out from her makeshift bed. She was still alone.

  “Apologies, Eva Nine,” the Omnipod said. “I am experiencing interference from Muthr’s current location. I would suggest we try again shortly.”

  “Is she okay?” Eva stared at the device’s glowing central eye.

  “Most likely,” it replied. “Her last transmission was over open water. There was considerable electrical activity in the atmosphere when she sent her message. It is probably interfering with our attempted connection now.”

  “Okay,” Eva exhaled, letting the stress of the day escape from her body. She looked at her injured hand. Her two broken fingers throbbed with a dull ache above the knuckle, but they were tied up, safe in her makeshift splint. The bandage over her palm was hardened from glue and dried blood. She would have to remove the bandage and clean the wound soon.

  Muthr can help me, she thought. It will be perfect. Besteel brings Muthr here. I convince Zin to free her, and we go to the ancient city, where we’ll find humans and live happily ever after.

  Exhausted, Eva pulled the blanket over her head and fell into a deep slumber.

  Through the skylighted domed roof sunlight shone down on Eva Nine’s face. With a yawn she stretched and crawled out of her drawer bed. She soon realized that the Omnipod was chirping for her attention. Eva scanned the room—Zin was nowhere to be found. “This is Eva Nine,” she said. “Proceed.”

  “Good morning, Eva Nine,” the device replied. “I tracked Muthr zero-six’s progress throughout the night, allowing you some rest.”

  “Where is she now?” Eva pulled her sneakboots on.

  “In this building, at your prior holding location,” the Omnipod reported.

  “The taxidermy room!” Eva grabbed the heavy blanket and pulled it over her head, like a hood, and exited Zin’s study.

  The vacant corridor leading to the taxidermist’s lab was a short distance. Even so, Eva kept her head down and walked without hesitation for fear of being discovered. She arrived at the entrance to the lab and listened at the closed door.

  “There’s someone talking in there for sure,” she whispered to herself.

  But who? she thought. If Besteel is in there, I’m done for.

  Eva breathed into the Omnipod, “Can you detect the sounds in this room?”

  “Yes,” the device replied. “Simply place the Omnipod flat against a wall surface. Then place your ear next to the Omnipod.” An animated three-dimensional diagram illustrated the directions.

  “Got it,” Eva said, looking around the empty corridor. She placed the device flat against the door.

  “… not quite sure what you’d like me to do next,” the taxidermist was saying. “I tried the usual euthanasia, but it had no effect. And it doesn’t speak in a universal tongue, so I have no idea what it’s saying.”

  “Hmmm.” Zin was in the room. “Besteel is meeting with Her Majesty to report the exact circumstances surrounding these two. It is astonishing to me that an ancient race has somehow survived against such catastrophic odds.”

  “That it is,” the taxidermist replied. “The other one is still in your custody? It didn’t wreak havoc like it did in here?”

  “Not at all.” Zin’s voice sounded confident. “We discussed some of its primitive society last night, but it was weary, likely from acclimation here. I am hoping to learn more before we prepare her for display.”

  Eva grimaced.

  “Let’s prepare these other specimens that have been delivered,” Zin ordered.

  “As you wish, Curator,” the taxidermist replied. “And the organic machine?”

  There was zeal in Zin’s voice. “It is an amazing find. A crude, yet functioning, relic fabricated from extinct hands. I cannot wait to thoroughly disassemble it to discover how it functions.”

  He’s talking about Muthr!

  “It’s time we get out of here. All of us,” Eva said. She reached into her tunic pocket and pulled out Zin’s pillar guard remote.

  I’m glad he didn’t see me swipe this when I grabbed the Omnipod back, she thought. Aiming the remote at the nearest pillar guard, Eva waved her hand over the three lights. The eyes of the towering guard opened, focusing downward at the girl as it blatted a greeting.

  “Follow me,” she commanded, “and do as I say.” Eva opened the large circular door to the laboratory.

  “Eva Nine!” Zin’s tiny eyes were wide with a look of surprise. “What’s this?” The giant pillar guard stepped in behind her.

  “Not again!” the taxidermist moaned, scurrying away. In the center of the room was a cell containing a robot.

  “Muthr!” Eva was relieved to see that the robot was unharmed. Eva scanned the room for the hiding taxidermist. She spied his squat body behind a cell full of fluttering insects and called out to him, “Release the robot, or the pillar guard starts destroying.”

  “Eva Nine,” Zin said, approaching Eva. “This is not the best way to handle—”

  “Now!” Eva yelled. The taxidermist aimed a remote at Muthr’s cell, causing the walls to dissipate. The robot rolled over to Eva. “Come on, let’s go!” Eva said, keeping her eyes locked on Zin as she backed out of the room and into the corridor. The pillar guard followed, and the large door slid shut behind them.

  “Lock it!” she commanded the pillar guard. The giant jammed one of his clawed hands into the door, causing it to buckle so that it could no longer open.

  Eva turned to Muthr. “Are you okay?”

  “Yes, dear! Are you?” Muthr embraced her. “I am so happy to see you!” She paused, giving Eva the once-over. “Oh, dear! What happened to your hand?”

  “Don’t worry, Muthr. I’ll be fine,” Eva replied, a bit sheepish. “At least this time I remembered IMA.”

  CHAPTER 32: THE GOLDFISH

  We have to hurry. Follow me!” Eva said, jogging down the corridor. “And use this!” She tossed a vocal transcoder to Muthr, swiped from Zin’s study. The robot activated it and hurried after Eva, with the pillar guard close behind them. Around the bend, they ran right into a squad of royal guardsmen. Confronted by a loose pillar guard, one of them shouted, “Call for reinforcements!”

  Eva pointed at the royal guardsmen, the remote in her hand. “Pillar guard, clear the way!” she commanded.

  The giant automaton let out its low blat sound as it stepped over Eva and Muthr swinging its long segmented arms. Guardsmen were thrown against the wall while others retreated down the hall.

  In moments Eva and Muthr were at the doorway leading out to the top floor of the museum’s Great Hall. Eva glanced behind her. From a safe distance Zin appeared holding another remote, the taxidermist scurrying alongside him.

  “You gave your word that you would not destroy this place,” Zin said in an alarmed tone.

  “You said you would help me escape,” Eva said with a sneer. She turned and ran through the door with Muthr. The pillar guard followed.

  Out on the top floor of the Great Hall, visitors fled from the rogue pillar guard. Eva looked toward the ramp leading down to the exits. A full squadron of royal guardsmen was ascending with boomrods ready.

  “Well, that way is blocked,” Eva muttered as she pulled out the Omnipod. “This is Eva Nine. Can you see if there is another way down from here?”

  “Greetings, Eva Nine. Radar scanning superficial structure,” the device chirped. “This may take several moments to render. Please hold.”

  “We don’t have time!” Eva saw that the palace guards were almost to the top floor.

  “Is there another way down?” Muthr asked as she surveyed the immediate area.

  “Not unless we jump,” Eva said, peering over the balcony to the floor far below. She looked back up at the pillar guard and comm
anded, “Carefully carry us and jump down to the floor level, please.”

  The pillar guard lifted the girl and the robot up, bounded over the balcony, and landed firmly on its three columnar legs. It came down on top of the display of water bears, toppling the gigantic mounted specimens and sending pedestrians scrambling.

  The pillar guard set Eva and Muthr down near its feet. Eva could hear the guards on the top floor turn around and head for the ramp.

  “Come on!” she yelled, grabbing Muthr’s hand and leading her toward the back entrance. They pushed their way through the crowd of onlookers and headed toward their escape from the museum. As they neared the doors, Eva spied royal guard reinforcements coming in from outside, and spun around. “This way!” she shouted, dragging Muthr right between the pillar guard’s towering legs. As they dashed to the front entrance, Eva could see that the squadron of guardsmen was now on the ground level and closing in on them.

  “I do not know if this is the best solution, Eva,” Muthr said over her whining motor as she wheeled along at full speed.

  “We’re almost out of here!” Eva exclaimed. The giant pillar guard followed.

  They were nearly through the front entrance of the museum’s Great Hall when Eva stole a glance at the jackvest displayed in the exhibit hall. She hesitated at the entrance—in mere seconds they would be stepping through the doorway.

  In minutes they’d be off of the royal grounds.

  And, in moments, they’d be hidden—lost among the throngs of the otherworldly citizens of Solas.

  Zin dropped down right in front of Eva and Muthr.

  “That’s far enough, Eva Nine,” he said, waving another pillar guard remote. “I’ve orders from the queen to detain you both for further questioning. Please deactivate the pillar guard and hand me the remote.”

  Muthr’s head spun around, taking in the situation. Royal guardsmen were closing in from every direction. “Excuse me, sir,” she said, “but my daughter and I are free to go wherever we—”

  “Don’t bother. He’s just a liar,” Eva said, facing Zin. “You lied to me!”

  “I did not lie.” Zin’s voice was firm as he crossed his many arms. “I told you I would try all means necessary. That entailed my requesting your release from Her Majesty—and she denied it. I apologize.”

  “I apologize too,” Eva said, narrowing her eyes at him. Outside, hordes of royal guards were clambering up the steps leading to the museum’s front entrance, with their sonic boomrods ready. And she could hear the click of the other guardsmen’s heels on the polished floor as they approached from behind. Without turning, she figured they were halfway down the hall.

  “Don’t do it, Eva,” Zin said. “You must surrender.”

  “Pillar guard,” Eva commanded, “get Zin’s controller.”

  Zin’s eyes went wide with fright, and he zipped away, dodging a swing from the pillar guard’s massive clawed hand. Fluttering through the Great Hall, Zin activated the other pillar guards, commanding them to capture the robot and the girl and disable their rogue pillar guard.

  Eva watched the enormous figures carved in the pillars open their glowing eyes and come to life.

  As they pulled their gigantic bodies free from their roosts, the pillar guards filled the Great Hall with their blatting calls. They stepped out onto the floor in perfect unison. This caused the remaining museum visitors to panic and scatter in all directions. The royal guardsmen spread out through the confusion, fanning around the giant automatons. The pillar guards marched out into the center of the museum, crushing everything in their paths.

  Muthr scanned the chaos. “There is no way out, Eva,” she said.

  “Come on! This way!” Eva yanked Muthr toward the Hall of Artifacts. The nearest pillar guards gave chase, stepped over them, and turned around to block their path.

  Eva and Muthr scooted between the giants’ stomping legs. One of the pillar guards reached down to grab Eva, but its huge clawed hand missed and sunk deep into the tiled floor. As she moved to avoid the jagged claws, Eva let go of Muthr’s hand. She dashed behind the attacking pillar guard and hid behind the jackvest display.

  The giant automaton spun around, trying to locate its quarry, and upset the suspended flying machine. The contraption swayed from the rafters like a hanging toy next to the pillar guard. The cables holding the flying machine snapped one at a time, and it crashed down onto the display next to Eva.

  As Eva pulled herself from the rubble, she realized the mounted yellow jackvest was lying next to her on the floor under chunks of glass.

  The Omnipod, still hanging from her wrist, spoke in its chirpy voice. “Jacket,” it announced, projecting a similar hologram. “A form of hip- or waist-length garment for the upper body. In the nineteenth century it was often referred to as a ‘coat.’ In the latter part of the twenty-first century climatefiber was invented, which revolutionized the fashion industry, allowing for a variety of new and popular styles, including the sleeveless jackvest. Shall I continue?”

  Eva clambered up just in time to see a pillar guard barreling toward her. She shot down the exhibit corridor, but the short hallway simply looped around, reconnecting with the main hall. She spied the fallen flying machine lying on top of the display case.

  “Hovercraft, model S-five-thirty-one, also known as the Goldfish,” the Omnipod said. “This vehicle, often referred to as a ‘floatster,’ was popular in the—”

  “Does it work?” Eva cried over the commotion. She crawled underneath a case full of shabby Beeboo toys and dolls, aiming the Omnipod at the hovercraft.

  “Sending communication to vehicle and analyzing data. Please wait for a response,” the Omnipod replied. A pillar guard picked up a case and threw it across the museum, searching for Eva.

  “Hurry!” Eva scrambled to her feet and bolted toward Muthr. A gigantic foot came down onto a display case that stood between them, causing it to erupt in a blast of glass and metal.

  As Eva dug her way out of the debris, an immense clawed hand lowered near her, holding a remote in its pincers. She looked up, recognizing that her pillar guard had somehow completed its task.

  Eva scanned the havoc in the museum. There was no sign of Zin.

  “Destroy the remote,” Eva said with a smile. The remote shattered in the pillar guard’s massive vice grip.

  Without control the other activated pillar guards aimlessly rampaged, destroying everything within their immediate area.

  Eva stood, looking up at her guard’s three glowing eyes. “You are free,” she commanded. “You are no longer under anyone’s command. Do you understand? Now go!”

  The pillar guard stood, blatted loudly, and walked out of the museum’s Great Hall, crashing through the glass of the front entrance.

  “Get him!” Eva heard one of the royal guards shout. “The rest of you, get everyone out of here and deactivate the cursed pillar guards!”

  Eva dashed into a horde of rushing museum guests, and then sidled behind a tall case that contained a collection of rusted signage. She aimed the Omnipod back at the fallen hovercraft.

  A pillar guard rushed toward Eva across the museum, stepping on several royal guards in the process.

  “Take down the pillar guards! Take down the pillar guards!” one of the royal guards yelled above the din. The royal guardsmen now opened fire on the giant automatons with their sonic guns.

  The pillar guard that was bearing down on Eva received the first blast. One of its legs blew to pieces, and it toppled backward. Debris blew everywhere as the giant crumpled from the fall, filling the entire museum hall with a thick cloud of dust.

  “Hovercar S-five-thirty-one is online, though it is at only forty-nine percent functioning ability,” the Omnipod stated. “Would you like to access the user’s manual?”

  “Yes!” Eva dashed through the dust, grabbing Muthr along the way. She yanked the robot toward the hovercraft, thrusting the Omnipod into Muthr’s hand. “I need you to access the user’s manual now!” Eva shouted.<
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  Eva scrabbled on top of a crushed display and made her way toward the small hovercraft. She climbed onto the craft’s dusty body and slipped into the cockpit. True to the hovercraft’s nickname, it was indeed shaped like a flying convertible goldfish. Two cracked, dusty leather seats sat high atop the pitted golden chrome body, while an array of fins and stabilizers projected out of the tail.

  “Scoot over. I am driving,” Muthr said as she climbed into the Goldfish, holding the Omnipod tight in one hand. Eva could see lights blinking in rapid succession on the robot and the Omnipod, even through the dust suspended in the air. With another hand Muthr grabbed the steering yoke of the vehicle. A third hand pried open an access hatch on the dashboard and pulled wires out of the craft. “I have got to give it a little electrical charge first,” she said in a calm voice as she plugged a wire into her body.

  A squad of royal guardsmen rushed past, ignoring Eva and firing their weapons up at a pillar guard who was plowing through all of the displays straight toward them. “You need to hurry,” Eva said as a giant leg crashed through a mounted skeleton.

  “A few more seconds. I’ve only got three functional arms,” Muthr said, pressing a button on the dashboard, which caused music to erupt from the blown speakers. She silenced the audio player, and pressed more buttons in rapid succession. “I do not know about this, Eva. This machine hasn’t been activated in eons,” she said.

  The palace guardsmen blasted the pillar guard that was coming at them, disintegrating its head. The headless giant spun around out of control, striking another pillar guard and sending it toppling forward toward the hovercraft.

  “You really have to get this thing going NOW!” Eva started slapping the dashboard as the shadow of the falling giant enveloped them.

  “Got it!” Muthr sang, and the Goldfish made a burbling sound, while a holographic menu flickered onto the windshield. The craft then rose about a meter off of the rubble and began moving, dragging a loose tail fin behind it. The enormous pillar guard fell through the hovercraft’s dusty wake. It slammed into the floor at full force, causing the entire museum to shake at its foundation.