Jon-29

by Gary Mark Lee

  Chapter 3.

  Comrades.

  .

  It was Sunbirth when Kt-7 and Jon-29 emerged from the underground, they spent the night searching down one corridor then another trying to find a way to the surface, at last they stumbled upon an ancient locomotion system called a subway and followed it to an exit point. They both took a moment or two to breathe in the open air and warm their faces in the light, then KT turned to her enemy.

  “I’m unarmed, you can try to kill me now if you think you can?” she said.

  Jon knew that even without her knife it might not be an easy thing to destroy her; she had excellent fighting skills and might be able to deflect his strikes and maybe even kill him? But besides the question of victory there was something that made him hold his attack, something he couldn’t settle in his mind so he decided to delay his efforts.

  “There is no glory in defeating a weak enemy”.

  Hearing Jon repeat her own words made the young girl smile, “very well” she replied, “perhaps we should negotiate?”

  “Negotiate?” Jon asked, “What is that?”

  “We will continue truce until I can find a suitable weapon and then we can continue our fight, do you accept my terms?”

  “What are terms?” Jon asked.

  “They are specific guarantees the will allow us to continue truce” she answered, “do you agree?”

  Jon had experienced many new things since he left the confines of his battle tank, he had fought with an enemy but couldn’t defeat it, he had shared food and drink with that enemy and then fought by that enemy’s side, all this went against his training and he was beginning to doubt his convictions.

  “But to not fight, there is no honor in this” he said.

  But KT shook her head, “there is, my mother taught me that there is a time for killing and a time for truce”.

  “You had a mother?” Jon asked.

  “Of course” KT smiled, “she carried me inside her and nurtured me, and she taught me how to fight”.

  “my mother carried me inside her also” Jon said, “she kept me safe, taught me to fight, to survive, then I had to come out and live in this world, she has terminated now”.

  “So has mine” KT said in a low voice.

  Jon realized that the enemy and he had much in common but he had never heard the words “negotiate” or “terms” but he didn’t want to kill the girl right now, not after what she said, “I will negotiate and I will accept your terms”.

  “Then I will not kill you…for now” the young girl said.

  “And I will keep our truce, unless you attack me” Jon replied.

  “Done” KT-7 spit on her hand and held it out, but Jon simply looked at it and didn’t move, after a while the young girl lowered her offering, “you have a lot to learn about agreements Lost-limb”, and turning she began to walk away. KT-7 turns her head to look at Jon, “well are you coming or will you stay here until the Scavengers get you?”

  “I cannot defeat the Scavengers alone, I will come with you”.

  So walking side by side but keeping an eye on each other the two warriors moved down the street, as they walked they continued to talk.

  “You saved my life, why?” KT asked her companion.

  For a moment Jon was at a loss for words, he knew that he should have let the girl die and use his strength to escape because that was how he had been trained and it was the right thing to do, but looking back he couldn’t understand why he didn’t do just that? At last he came up with an answer that he hoped would be suitable.

  “I was hoping to take you back to HQ where you could be dissected and any weakness found so that we might defeat your kind more swiftly”.

  “I comp” the girl said, “and do you know the vector back to your people?”

  Of course Jon had no idea where Mobile command was stationed, but he wasn’t about to let his enemy get the better of him, “of course I do, but I am not going to relay that information to an enemy”, then Jon took a moment before he spoke once more, “do you know the directional vectors to your base?”

  “Negative, I was hit by a power blast and my gunner and Komodo were killed and my directional data eliminated”.

  “Affirm” Jon said with a smile, “I am highly trained in weapons accuracy”.

  The young girl suddenly turned and struck Jon in the face with her fist, “you and your invaders killed my friends!” she screamed, “kill me if you like but don’t medal your chest with my comrades”.

  Jon-29 stood there rubbing his jaw as KT picked up a jagged piece of metal from the ground rubble and pointed it towards her companion, it wasn’t a very effective weapon but it could still cause damage.

  There was a very tense moment as Jon considered his alternatives, he accepted the girl’s terms not to kill her until he was attacked and now he had been, but he also didn’t want to be alone and there was something that she said that intrigued him.

  “What is a friend?” he asked.

  KT-7 slowly lowered her weapon and shook her head, “are all Wheel-riders as skull-thick as you?”

  “What has the density of my cranium have to do with friend?”

  KT began to regret her offer to truce, “come with me and I’ll try and brain-work a way to communicate how my people have remained strong”.

  And as they walked the girl tried to explain friendship to the young man but she knew it wouldn’t be an easy task because enemies are not gifted by wisdom from the Goddess.

  With the solar power from the bright morning sun the repaired Mini-tank was now fully charged and ready to begin her search for its missing command driver, it had almost doubled in size and with added drive wheels, armor plating and defensive claws it no longer resembled the efficient configuration that the smaller tank had, the main weapons were still damaged but with time and the right replacement parts they would be able to spread death and destruction like before.

  Inside the armored vehicle Mother was prepared to continue her quest to return her child,

  “Roach program will now disengage” she said.

  Mother had used the repair program to configure the new design but now it was no longer needed.

  “Affirm” Roach replied, “Shutting down”.

  The info-screen that was used for repairs faded to black.

  “Power report” Mother ordered.

  “Energy is seventy percent and holding” Power informed.

  “Weapons report” she said.

  “Main weapons still nonfunctional, secondary mechanical appendages available”.

  Mother connected with all the new programs that she had taken from the Builder machine.

  “Damage to system has been restored to an acceptable level we will know commence search for Jon twenty nine and restore him to driver command”.

  “Neg” Power said, “your orders are contrary to main directives, energy levels are insufficient for long term search, we must obtain fuel cells that will allow us to replenish weapons and operate in darkness”.

  But Mother wouldn’t be deterred, “Neg, we will find and restore driver unit, override program in effect”.

  But that program could not override the machines main programing.

  “Neg” Power said once more, “Seek and destroy the enemy”.

  Mother tried to override that program but she couldn’t and after trying several different circuitry avenues she gave in.

  “Affirm, initiating search program for replacement of fuel cells, when that is accomplished we must locate Jon twenty nine, driver unit is necessary for full functionality of this combat vehicle”.

  “Affirm” Power replied, “Replacement of driver unit can be obtained at main control”.

  But Mother wanted her child back, “Neg, recovery of original driver unit is necessary; replacement will not suffice, initiate operations and engage scanners for fuel cell replacement”.
>
  With replacement parts and power the main scanner was able to function again and after a short time it was able to pick up small energy traces.

  “Fuel cells located” Power reported.

  This pleased the main control units “affirm, set heading for fuel replacement, engage power”.

  Slowly the repaired machines potent engines began to engage, with the power from the sun the level of force rose and the modified tank began to pull against the mass of concrete and steel that held it captive. But even with full power engaged it couldn’t pull free.

  “Engage reserved power” Mother ordered.

  “Reserve energy will over load repaired systems” Power reported.

  “Override, engage reserve power” the main control system ordered.

  And with the engines turning at maximum power the armored machine began to free itself, the overhang gave away and toppled to the ground, smaller rocks and pieces of steel clattered like Cry-birds then the tank was no longer a prisoner.

  “We are no longer weak” Mother said, “We are stronger and will be victorious!”

  “Affirm” Power said.

  “Affirm” Weapons added.

  And so the once damaged tank rolled away from the machine that restored its capabilities and began a quest to find her orphan.

  Jon-29 and KT-7 walked slowly and carefully, they knew that at any moment they could be attacked by Scavengers or worse and as they moved KT tried to talk some sense into her reluctant companion.

  “You are the invaders not us” the aggravated girl said, “all these buildings and the land beyond belongs to my people and we will defend it to the death”.

  “These structures are broken and the land is barren and useless” Jon replied.

  “Then why do you want it?”

  “Because you are here” the young man’s logic seemed perfectly correct to him, Outriders are the enemy and they should be destroyed, seek and destroy them wherever they are.

  KT-7 decided that talking to such a Jack-jerker was hopeless so she kept her mouth shut.

  The pair continued forward in silence then the young man spoke.

  “The air smells” he said sniffing several times.

  “The air is the air, perhaps you smell yourself” the girl chuckled.

  “I do not smell myself, I think I smell you”.

  “Maybe” she said, “if you smell strength and victory”.

  “Does victory smell like dead Outrider?” Jon asked.

  But the young girl remembered the words of her mother, “sacrifice is the little sister of victory”.

  Jon-29 shook his head, “we will win, we are stronger, we cannot be defeated, our weapons are superior, and we will seek and destroy until victory is achieved”.

  “Reality” KT said, “is that why I had to rescue you from the Scavengers?”

  “Your memory core is malfunctioning” Jon smiled, “you should be repaired and you designation advanced to eight”.

  “At least I still have both my arms” KT replied holding up her hands.

  “My arm is very useful” Jon commented, “you should have one of yours replaced?”

  But before KT could answer the pair rounded a corner and there laying on the ground was a dead Komodo beast, there was very little left of the huge animal for the Scavengers and insects had done there worst and cleaned most of the flesh from its body, but there were still a few large legs bones still intact.

  “Food” the girl said and moved straight for the carcass, there were still a few Flesh-scrappers picking at the remains but few waves of her hands and the girl drove them off, now it was simply a matter of cracking open the massive leg bones to get at the tender marrow, but KT-7 had lost her knife and digging with her crude weapon proved to be futile.

  “What are you trying to accomplish?” Jon asked for he never had to break a leg bone to eat, Mother had always given him all his nutrients.

  “There are rations inside this bone but I can’t break it” KT answered and she was about to pick up a large rock laying nearby and try to use it to shatter the tibia but Jon stopped her and she dropped the stone, then the young man spoke to his hand once again.

  “Gripper?”

  “Online”.

  “Use maximum power to squeeze”.

  And bending down Jon put his mechanical hand around a section of bone and squeezed with all his strength, there was a cracking sound and the bone gave way, the reddish marrow was exposed and KT smiled at the results.

  “I will comply with you that your replacement arm can be useful but I will still keep mine”, and saying that the companions began to fill their empty stomachs with bone contents.

  Some distance away the resurrected war-machine lumbered through the fallen city, now and then it came across Scavengers but they scattered like dry leaves in the wind when the metal monster approached, its massive weight made the surrounding buildings tremble and more than once they came tumbling down as their weakened superstructure felt the shaking caused by the huge machine.

  “Fuel cell replenishment is near” Mother said.

  “Affirm” Power replied, “energy is at fifty percent, solar collectors are a maximum but alternatives must be acquired soon”.

  Down the narrow avenue a group of Scavengers were squabbling over the remains of a Fang-cat that they had brought down, the large feline had killed two of the scroungers but that only added to the feast, the ripped and tore at the feline and the dead mutants making primitive grunts and threatening gestures, then as the huge tank approached them they turned to face it.

  Weapons was the first to report, “primitive humanoids fifty meters ahead, no energy weapons, threat level is only at level one”.

  “Affirm” Mother replied “continue on vector”.

  When the armored vehicle was only a few meters from the Scavengers they began to pound the ground with their metal weapons and scream in defiance, ordinarily they would have scattered fast seeing such a large moving creature but their hunger was great and they didn’t want to give up their kill to another.

  “Enemy is not retreating” reported Weapons.

  But Mother held fast to her orders, “extend claws and prepare to attack”.

  “Affirm” Weapons replied.

  The two great steel claws that had been salvaged from the Builder machine now came into play; they opened and closed making a grinding sound.

  All but one of the Scavengers turned and fled but one didn’t, he held his ground hoping that his screams and pounding would be enough to win his fleshy reward.

  He was wrong.

  One of the great claws ceased him in its powerful grip and cut him in two with a loud “snap!” Then it cast him aside sending his upper torso one way and his lower body and legs another.

  “Enemy destroyed” Weapons reported.

  “Affirm” Mother replied, “Continue to fuel cells”.

  Ahead of the machine lay another relic of the war, this one was only recently destroyed and from its design and the markings on the sides it was an energy supply unit Mark-3, it was used as a fuel cell carrier with only limited defense capabilities.

  “Advance and scan for energy cells” Mother ordered.

  The Mother machine drew near the battered hulk and began to scan it for the needed replacement parts.

  “Cells located” Power reported, “two functioning energy cells with the correct configuration have been found, with the added units our energy level will advance by five point one. Five point one wasn’t a large degree but it would add to the overall capability of the machine, but then the scanners picked out something that might be of great use.

  “Scanners have detected two energy weapons” Weapons reported.

  “Affirm” Mother said, “activating Roach repair program”.

  The repair program info-screen lite up and a voice spoke, “R.O.A.C.H. program is a last resort in ca
se of total systems failure; I should not be used frivolously”.

  “I am main control and will active systems as I see fit”.

  After a moment the repair unit complied, “online” it said.

  “Affirm” the superior program said, “Integrate scanned replacement weapons into existing systems”.

  “Affirm” Roach then began to lay out a design that would place the two new weapons on either side of the rebuilt machine and thus increase its destructive power, with the main and secondary guns damaged it would need these to smaller weapons to defend itself when the time came.

  Now the Repair-bots began their work once more taking the two fuel cells and armaments from the broken mechanism.

  KT-7 and Jon-29 had come to a vacant street in the vast city, it was still filled with rubble and other broken bits of civilization but there weren’t any Scavengers or other dangers that could be seen.

  “Vector this way” KT said pointing down the street.

  “Why should be advance in that direction?” asked her companion.

  “Because the wind will be at our backs and that will make it harder for the Scavengers to track us” the girl replied.

  This made Jon a little angry for he couldn’t find any fault in her logic so he followed her down the cluttered avenue. Then after a short time they came upon a dead Komodo and figure laying in the street, immediately KT-7 recognized the bloody form and rushed to its side, bending down she looked into the face of a man she knew well.

  “I comp him, he was a subordinate in my unit” she looked him over carefully and realized that he hadn’t been dead more than a few days, “he might have useful intel”.

  She took the cranial info-connector from her belt and activated it, then she pulled a long thin wire from the device and lifting up the head of the fallen Outrider she pushed its sharp tip deep into the ear canal of the dead man. Then she adjusted a few setting on the connector and pressed the “on” button.

  The dead warrior began to jerk and his broken limbs thrashed around like a broken play-doll, then his eyes opened.

  “JP six” the girl said, “information is required”.

  Slowly the dead eyes focused on the girl and with slurred speech the cadaver spoke.

  “KT seven it’s good to see you, what information do you require?”

  “I need the vector to the closest emergency supply depot”.

  “Coordinates are five, seven, three, vector two seven, four point six kilometers” suddenly the corpse began to shake, then it lay still, “can you initiate my repair sequence?” JP-6 asked.

  “Further iterations are not possible” KT said shaking her head, “you’re scrapped, I’m sorry”.

  The eyes of the warrior looked at her and a small smile crossed his dried lips, “understood, permission to withdraw?”

  The girl looked into the eyes of her friend one last time, “permission granted”.

  KT-7 switched off the reanimation device, laid the bloody head of the warrior back on the ground and slowly stood up, she picked up the helmet of her comrade and put it on her head, his supplies and other useful items were gone then she turned to Jon-29.

  “We have to bury him so the Scavengers won’t get him” she said.

  “But he has terminated and cannot be reanimated, we should leave him and conserve our strength” the young man replied.

  “I won’t leave a comrade to be eaten” KT said angrily “I will put him someplace safe”.

  And she picked up what remained of the man and carried him up a series of concrete steps and into a building entrance nearby, the structure itself was constructed with thick stone masonry and steel, it had a large tower that was mostly intact and on top of it was a symbol that was used to mark it as a place where a God lived.

  Jon watched her but didn’t help, but he did follow her inside the structure.

  The huge building was somewhat intact, there was a large hole in the high ceiling and damage to the thick walls but it still stood upright and was filled with rows of ornate columns, wooden benches and many broken statuary. In the Before Time this was a place of worship by people who believed in a powerful but mysterious deity, some said he was the most powerful being in the universe while others said that he wasn’t, but that was all in the past now and his temples were only a reminder of a forgotten time.

  Jon-29 watched at the girl walked to one end and placed the remains of the dead man on a large slab of chipped stone, she stood there for a moment then he heard her speak.

  “This is JP six, Komodo rider second class, he told good stories and shared his water, he will make a good companion in the Afterlife”, then she began to place broken bits of rock and mortar on the body.

  Jon watched her for a time then picked up a stone and was about to place it on the dead man when KT stopped him, “your people killed him, the Goddess would be angry if I allowed you to assist”.

  So not saying a word Jon stood back and waited until the girls work was done. Then KT put her hand on the pile of rocks, “rest easy and may you find Lands-End.” And saying nothing more the young girl walked out of the building and Jon followed her, they moved down the steps and into the street where they started to walk once more.

  “What purpose did that ritual serve?” Jon asked.

  But KT-7 was in no mood for teaching her slack-brained companion, “why don’t you ask your hand?”

  Jon shook his head, “my replacement limb is not programed in that area”.

  KT didn’t reply as she uploaded the vector setting into her directional finder, when it was done she looked the small info-screen then pointed, “Our vector is that way”.

  And walking in silence the pair heading towards what they hoped would be safety.

  The twelve time periods since the Commander had ordered that repairs must be completed were up and now he stood up from his control chair and turned to the technician who was checking his info-screens.

  “Do we have attack capabilities?” he asked in a harsh voice.

  The tec nervously turned to his superior, “repairs on hull have been accomplice and power is at eighty percent but energy transfers are weak and full power may not be possible at this time”.

  The Commander taped his metal foot on the hard steel floor, a habit that he did when he was weighting the options, this continued for a time and the technicians grew more worrisome for they understood what the consequences were for failure, then the tapping stopped, and he sat down.

  “Full power now” the one legged Captain ordered.

  “Full power engaging” replied the operator of energy.

  The massive Corbalight engines began to wine as power was to be transferred to them, the great machine rumbled and shook and began the immense drive wheels that propelled the centipede like battle craft started to turn.

  This brought a smile to the thin lips of the Commander exposing his metal teeth for now he would be able to continue his attack and destroy the enemy but then his grin faded as the engines began to slow.

  “What is the snafu?” it was easy to see that the Commander was very angry even if his voice wasn’t.

  The Power technician had served with the Captain for many cycles and knew his different voices and he knew never to underestimate his wrath, “power relays are deteriorating, energy transfer cannot be continued”. And no sooner had he said that then the engines shut down and the war-machine was silent once more.

  The Commander sat there for a time not saying anything or moving then he pressed a com-link on his chair, “Send a full replacement crew to central command”.

  Everyone in the control chamber knew that their lives would soon end, and you might wonder why they didn’t rebel and try to take over the ship knowing that they would be taken to food processing? That would be the logic of most humans but these were soldiers, trained and conditioned to serve and defend and never to disobey orders, so when the Enforcers came
and they were lead from the room they didn’t protect or say a word, they simply moved in an orderly file passing their replacements who took their seats and began to check info-screens.

  When they transfer had been completed the Commander rose from his chair and began to speak, “our purpose is to seek and destroy the enemy, and we will continue to follow those orders to total victory, is that understood?”

  And in one voice the replacements replied.

  “Affirm, seek and destroy!”

  Sitting back down the Captain turned to the new power technician, “I want full attack power in twelve hours”.

  “Affirm” said the tec “full attack power in twelve time periods”.

  Then the Commanders settled back in his seat and began tapping his metal foot once more.

  The sun was beginning to set when Jon-29 and KT-7 approached a huge concrete building, it was build low to the ground and showed damage from direct hits of weapons fire, but the energy bolts weren’t powerful enough to penetrate the sturdy walls so whatever was inside was still intact. There were no windows and only one entrance showing, it was a heavy steel door and although it also showed signs of battle damage it was not broken.

  “What place is this?” Jon asked.

  “It’s a structure that your weapons couldn’t destroy”

  Jon shook his head, “that is not possible, our weapons are superior and any target we acquire is destroyed”.

  “Then why is this building still standing?” the girl asked.

  It took a moment or two for Jon to come up with a suitable answer, “this structure must have no military importance therefor we did not destroy it”.

  “Your intel is faulty Rock-crusher” KT smiled, “this is where we want to go”.

  Near the entrance stood a huge heroic stature of a soldier holding a weapon in hands, it was made of metal and also showed attack injury, in its dress it resembled KT-7 for it also had body armor and a horned helmet on its large head, it stood silently looking out over the city like a monument to some past glory.

  “Engage null-speak and remain still” KT said and she slowly moved towards the metal warrior, when she was directly in front of it she took the knife that she had taken from JP-6 and cut her finger, she then moved to the statue and wiped her blood on its left boot.

  Jon was about to tell her that she was wasting precious body fluid when he heard a humming noise, immediately his arm sounded the alarm.

  “Danger within perimeter” Gripper called out.

  The huge statue slowly started to move, several small Cry-birds abandoned their nest as the metal human lifted its arms and pointed the weapon in its hands at the young girl, and then it spoke in a low rumbling voice.

  “KT seven, Outrider, Rowgal tribe, Komodo unit shock troop three, identity confirmation needed”.

  The young girl called out in a loud clear voice, “Alfa, Tripod, Lancer”.

  There was a tense moment as the metal guardian confirmed the passwords of the human, “identity confirmed” the machine man said, then it pointed its huge weapon at Jon-29, “Prisoner?” it asked.

  “Confirmed” KT replied, “transporting for interrogation and liquidation, require immediate resupply”.

  Again there was a moment as the guardian checked his programing, “emergency supply depot activated” it finally said.

  The huge steel door to the depot slowly opened and KT moved back to her companion, “do not speak or make any sign of aggression or you will be destroyed, you comp that?”

  Jon nodded his head then followed the girl passed the steel sentry and into the darkness.

  Night was falling fast and the Repair-bots hadn’t completed their task of transferring the energy cells and weapons installment.

  “What is the remaining completion time on repair program?” Mother asked.

  “Approximately three point nine mid-cycles” Roach replied.

  “Continue repairs” the control unit said.

  Mother was eager to resume her search and every hour in delay meant that her child might be harmed by the dangers that were outside her metal embrace, but the other programs in the battle tank didn’t share her concerns.

  Power was the first to respond “Continuing repairs in darkness will deplete our energy reserves to an unacceptable level”.

  “I concur with Power” Weapons added, “we will not have enough energy to activate newly acquired armaments and will be subject to attack without defensive capabilities”.

  “Retrieval of command drivers is priority one” Mother replied, “all power must be channeled to that purpose”.

  Weapons was programed to terminate the enemy and although a command driver would greatly add to the overall destructive power it was not the number one priority, “if we encounter Outriders we will be destroyed”.

  “I concur with Weapons” Power added, “We should wait until solar collectors can add to our energy then continue search for driver unit”.

  Mother understood that if they were destroyed she wouldn’t find her missing child so she compromised, “we will discontinue reconstruction and conserve power but scanners will remain online to continue search”.

  “Affirm” Power said.

  “Affirm” Weapons added.

  “Roach, discontinue repairs” Mother ordered, and obeying her directive the repair program shut down and the Repair-bots returned to their containers, one by one the info-screens went dark with the exception of one, the long-range scanner, it would remain operational sending out a search wave and waiting for returning information.

  And all through the night Mother would monitor that program and hope for any sign of Jon-29.

  KT-7 and Jon-29 entered the fortress and the great steel door closed behind them, there were small lighting devices on the walls but only a few were still operating so Jon lifted his hand once more.

  “Gripper, luminate”.

  “Affirm” and quickly the small powerful light began to glow from the mechanical limb and with the added illumination the pair continued forward. The tunnel went on for some time with KT leading the way.

  “Why did you not let the weapons robot kill me?” Jon asked.

  “That might have drawn the attention of attack forces” she said calmly as she held her knife at the ready, “beside I prefer to terminate you myself when the time comes”.

  Before the young man could answer they rounded a corner and moved into a larger chamber that was well lite, this room was filled with artifacts that Jon had never seen before, graceful statuary, paintings, tapestries of fine workmanship, ornate tables and chairs, shelves filled with leather bound books, gold and silver finery, crystal glasses and bowls, thousands of remembrances from the past all preserved in this underground domain waiting for the destruction above to finally end.

  “Information?” Jon asked.

  “What?” KT said.

  “What sort of supply depot is this?”

  “This is not the supply depot” KT answered as she continued into the room, “This is for After-time storage”.

  Jon continued to gaze at the many splendid objects surrounding him, but he couldn’t understand their purpose, “these are not weapons or food”, and he reached out with his metal finger and touched one of the paintings near him, “analyze” he said.

  “Affirm” replied Gripper, and as the hand scrutinized the materials from the work of art KT spoke to her companion.

  “There is no food or weapons here” she said, “these are treasures from the Before-time; they are stored here for the Peace”.

  “The Peace?’ Jon asked.

  But before the girl could answer Gripper reported on his findings, “the substance is a combination of animal oil mixed with organic compounds to produce a specific shade in the optical spectrum, commonly known as color, do not imbibe”.

  Then KT lead them into another corridor, this one was short and from the oppos
ite end a small “tapping” could be herd.

  “Keep quiet” the girl said, “Scavengers may have gained access”.

  Hearing that Scavengers might be ahead of them Jon once more spoke to his hand.

  “Gripper, blade!” he ordered.

  “Affirm” the hand replied and the long attack blade sprung out.

  The pair slowly moved forward both of them ready for danger and as they exited the corridor and into another storage room, this one also has artifacts and painting but it’s also filled with machinery and transport vehicles of all descriptions, large attack craft and smaller fast moving ground trucks, the pair move past these and see what is making the rapping sound.

  It was a small pig-like humanoid much like the Tail-gunners of the Outlanders, this one was a bit taller and wearing a padded workers uniform, he had heavy boots on his short legs and a wide belt around his bulbous stomach, from it hung a myriad of tools, small one for delicate work and larger ones to remove stubborn blots, he had a broad flat face with a wide nose and small eyes and his mouth had two large teeth the protruded upwards like tiny daggers. His large head was covered in a helmet that had different devices for analyzing attached to it, all and all he looked rather comical but in reality he was an efficient worker.

  The little creature is repairing a large multi-wheeled military truck, it’s has a armor plated control cab at the front and a flat carry bed in the back, on its platform is a heavy defense weapon with four large barrels surrounded by miscellaneous ammunition containers and supplies.

  KT looks at the genetically created being then puts her knife back in its scabbard, “we’re safe now” she said and approached the truck, when she was a few meters from the vehicle the little Pig-man turned to her and drew a small pistol from his belt.

  “Gotaro untinara?” it spoke.

  KT lifted her hand, “Baktor nirada” she said, KT seven, Outrider, shock troop three, designation?”

  “Depot maintenance” the little creature said in a grunting voice, “level three, detached from forth regiment second battalion”.

  “Unit status?” she asked.

  “Expended, I alone remain, I seek a command unit”.

  “I except you as a subordinate unit” KT replied.

  Slowly the little man lowered his gun and stepped forward, “Netegra orgnamore, what is that?” he said pointing to Jon.

  “Prisoner, truce in effect” the young girl answered, “you are a repair unit, what is your designator?”

  “They called me Fixer” the little creature replied.

  “Very well Fixer, we require resupplying”.

  “Rations limited” Fixer said, “weapons available but substandard, only crude projectiles useable, Land-master restored no plasma armaments, projectile only, they are not very good but better than nothing”.

  KT began to look the heavy truck over “we need weapons of any type, this transport will do”.

  Fixer looked at Jon with a wary eye, “I am not a prisoner transfer unit, this enemy should be terminated”. And he began to draw his weapon.

  This action caused Gripper to reacted, “enemy within perimeter!”

  “And his hand should be dismantled” the Pig-man added.

  “Later” the girl said, “we’ll R and R here for now”.

  Jon watched the little man for a moment then when he was confident that he wasn’t going to be attack he spoke to his arm.

  “Close blade” he said.

  “Affirm” the arm replied and the sharp weapon retracted.

  Jon moved to a wooden storage crate and sat down, but he always faced forward and watched the movements of the girl and the little man with great interest.

  Fixer moved to the front of the huge truck and began tinkering with its powerful engine.

  KT began to take off her armor and clothing, despite her hard demeanor underneath she’s still a women, and an attractive one at that, her strong athletic body bore some scaring but that didn’t distract the gaze of Jon, he watched her remove her survival helmet and garments until she was almost naked with only a small halter top of tan cloth and a strip that covered her lower waist.

  Jon watched her and remembered his strange dream, now it seemed to be coming true?

  KT-7 still retained two arm braces that went from her wrist to her elbow; her combat knife was placed beside her within easy reach.

  As she turned around to show her back Jon saw a large image covering her torso from the nap of her neck to just above her buttocks, it was a dragon tattoo of wonderful craftsmanship, the twisting body was colored in greens and yellows with a horned head and clawed feet, from it gaping mouth a stream of red and yellow fire shot out covering her left shoulder and cascading down her arm, the large eyes of the monster were golden and seemed to have a life of their own.

  “There is a creature on your back” Jon said.

  KT quickly runs her hands over her torso, “is there a Land-leech on me, is there? I hate leeches!”

  “Neg” Jon answered, “There are no leeches on you, I was speaking of your markings”.

  The young girl relaxed, “yes, that is the insignia of my unit; the Fire-dragon is strong and intelligent…like me”.

  “Affirm” Jon said, “you are strong but your body is nominal”.

  The young girl relaxed and continue to make herself comfortable, “nominal? You are incorrect I have a superior body, I have been passed through all levels of training and testing for an Outrider, and although I have been terminated and reanimated seven times I still remain strong”, then she looked at Jon and smiled, “you have undergone twenty-nine iterations but I can still see that you need more work”.

  Jon looks down at his metal hand, “affirm, so do you”.

  This makes KT angry, “what do you mean” I was in battles for this city when your kind first invaded our land!”

  Jon-29 rises to his feet and shouts at the girl, “we did not invade; we repelled your forces and pushed you back where your kind belongs!”

  “Your brain-work is faulty, you need more repair!”

  KT turns and away and picks up her canteen and drinks deeply, then she slowly sits down and watches Jon do the same, she takes two more gulps from the metal container then holds it out to Jon. “You want some?” she asks.

  Jon isn’t sure about the girl, her emotions seem very erratic and without logic but he had never had the pleasure of close contact with the opposite sex and therefor unprepared for their strange behaviors, but he was thirsty.

  “Affirm”

  The girl stood up and handed the canteen to Jon then watched him consume two large mouthfuls of the fiery brew then he handed it back to her where upon she also drank deeply.

  “You want more?” she asked.

  Jon was quickly growing very fond of the strong tasting liquid and nodding his head he took the canteen and again drank a large quantity of its contents. Soon the metal container was passed back and forth until there was very little of the alcoholic concoction left, but it had done its job and the two humans were no longer hurting from their wounds or worried about Scavengers attacking them.

  With his head spinning some Jon looked over at a renaissance painting leaning against a wall, its portrait of a woman holding a baby and the workmanship is superb.

  KT sees Jon staring at the image, “do you require information?” she asks a bit tipsy.

  “Affirm, why does this screen display a child unit in the company of a female?” Jon asks.

  KT takes one more drink from her canteen then puts in on the floor near her, “that is an ancient permanent display of a mother with her child”.

  Hearing her answer makes Jon laugh, “Neg, that is incorrect, female units are not mothers, they lack the capacity”.

  “Your brain must be war-weary” the girl said, “My mother was a female”.

  Jon shook his head from side to side making him a bit dizzy,
“incorrect, females are warriors not mothers!”

  Now its KT-7’s time to laugh, “We can be both strong warriors and caring mothers, as I said the repairs to your brain are faulty”.

  “You are the enemy, you are incorrect!”

  This makes the girl rise to her feet again, “and you’re an Iron-assed, Machine-head who has spent too much time in coma-freeze!”

  Jon also rises to his feet posed for a fight, “and you are a foul smelling Beast-herder that would not know a multiplexing phase converter from a stress fractured base plate!”

  It was clear to see that the two were about to end their truce and return to killing each other, but a moment before they do Fixer addresses his Commander.

  “Reporting, repairs to the Land-master are completed, I have also located additional rations and ammunitions” the little man said proudly.

  After a few moments of staring at each other KT looks over at Fixer, “excellent, we will depart at Sunbirth” then she turns back to her thick headed companion, “truce?”

  Jon’s head was spinning so he decided that trying to kill the girl would not be a good attack decision.

  “Truce” he replied.

  KT sits down again and drinks the last of her Fire-brew, and then she notices that Jon is once again gawking at a painting, this one shows a man kissing a woman.

  “Now what are you looking at?” she asks.

  Jon points to the work of art, “what duty are those units performing?”

  “Their lip-pressing Rivet-head”.

  “Lip-pressing, is this a maintenance activity?”

  “Negative, pressing of the lips is how bucking begins” the girl answered, “well most of the time anyway”, the girl begins to check the edge of her knife and then rubs it back and forth on a small bronze statue near her to sharpen it.

  “Bucking?’ Jon replies, “What is bucking?”

  “Bucking” KT answers, “hump-grinding, belly-warming, you know, sex!”

  Jon begins to examine his metal arm for any signs of damage, “affirm, yes, sex, I have information on sex, it is very complex”.

  Satisfied that her knife is efficient KT takes a small metal device from her supply belt and begins to comb her unruly hair, “at first bucking is awkward but you get better as you go, and it’s very pleasurable if you do it correctly”.

  The young man stops tinkering with his metal limb, “you have performed this procedure?”

  KT removes a small insect form her comb and crushes it between her fingers, “affirmative, yes, many times, but I’m not a bivouac belly-warmer, I don’t just buck with anyone”, the girl removes another creepy crawly and dispatches it quickly, “my buck partners never complained, I was even selected for future service in a reproduction unit” she said proudly.

  “Understood” Jon said returning to his arm.

  KT watches him for a time then asks him a question, “You’re a no-timer aren’t you?”

  Jon doesn’t say anything and concentrates on his arm; it’s easy to see that he doesn’t want to answer his female companion.

  Nearby Fixer has been listening to the conversation as he loads more supplies into the armored vehicle, but having no reproductive organs the subject is of no interest to the little man.

  KT looks around the room and sees a magnificently carved statue of a naked young man holding a bow and arrow, perhaps it was the Fire-brew taking hold of her senses but she stared at the figure for some time admiring its physique and feeling a longing rising up inside her.

  “I don’t bypass no-timers” she commented, “they’re just more effort that’s all, take you for example, I think you could learn if you had a good teacher”.

  This statement grabs Jon’s attention, “you wish to mate with me?”

  “Well you’re not very intelligent but you have a nice bottom cushion so I guess it might prove entertaining…unless you’re afraid?”

  This makes Jon stand up, “I am a fully trained combat driver, I am never afraid!” then he takes time to think his procalmation over, “this will involve close contact will it not?”

  “Very close” KT said with a smile.

  “Will we need to negotiate?” the young man asked.

  “State your terms” the girl said.

  “Terms?” Jon began to think about the meaning of the word and after a short time came up with an answer, “my terms are these, that you do not kill me during mating, that we promise truce for the duration of the procedure”.

  KT-7 thinks this over then comes over to Jon and nods her head, “my terms are in mind-sync with yours, do you accept?"

  “I accept” Jon replied.

  KT once again spits into her hand and holds it out to her companion, this time Jon spits into his mechanical hand and shakes hers.

  “There is saliva on my surface sensors” Gripper said, “remove substance!”

  But Jon didn’t seem to hear the request of his appendage because he was focused on the task before him.

  “When do we initiate mating procedures?” he asked.

  The girl looked into the eyes of her enemy, “this seems like an acceptable time”.

  “Affirm” said the nervous young man.

  KT-7 moved to an open space by the heavy transport and took a thick weather cover from the back, she spread it on the ground then began to remove the last of her clothing, except for her long arm braces, as she did Jon began to take off his survival garments.

  It had been a long time since he was naked; the last time was when he had sustained burns to his right side when his tank was hit by a thermite charge, the control room exploded in flames but the automatic fire retardants kept the damaged to a minimum, but he still had to have a lot of skin replaced with Plasti-flesh and some nuro-fibers to his face.

  When the last of his clothing was gone he moved over to where KT was waiting for him, he sat down next to her and tried to remember the sexual diagrams that were a part of his technical training, as he did KT took her knife and stuck it into the hard floor near her.

  “Just in case our truce is canceled” she said, then she reached out and took Jon into her arms, but the feel of his metal appendage made her flinch.

  “Did I damage you?” Jon asked.

  “No, your replacement arm is cold that’s all”.

  Jon lifted his hand and spoke, “Gripper, warmth”.

  “Affirm” said the hand.

  There was a soft hum and slowly the metal limb began to warm, after a moment the young man reaches out for the girl and this time she doesn’t pull away.

  They kiss.

  Fixer watched the strange actions of the two humans for a time but it all seem very confusing to him, they carried no tools and seemed to be concentrating on seeing how close their lower extremities could make contact.

  “He will not repair her that way” he said shaking his large head.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Chapter 4.

  Survival.