by Viola Grace
“If you are ready, we are playing follow the leader. Here we go.”
She began a slow, thudding pace that increased to keep her just behind Ai.
A small voice asked her, “Why do you keep referring to us as warriors?”
“Because we are at war, and you are working for our side; therefore, you are warriors. Don’t worry. You get used to it.”
She got up to full speed and was soon streaking across the plain with the rest of the bots and pilots. The only one who seemed to know what was going on was Xaia, and she was going to give them details at the city.
The secrecy didn’t bother Corbyn. There was every chance that the communications had been compromised. She was willing to keep quiet as long as she found out what was going on before she had to decide whether to hurt someone or not.
* * * *
Hima settled in the cradle, and the women carrying the weaponry were standing around her. “Please sit and take hold of the safety straps.”
One of the women glanced at her with a sneer. “You are a midwife, are you not?”
“I am. I am also pilot to Len. Sit down.”
The connections wrapped around her limbs, and the connection slid into place.
“I think I can handle a ride in the bot standing up.”
Len spoke. “Sit!”
Hima smiled. “I would do as he says. He can and will lean forward until you smash each other against the console.”
The snotty woman said, “Why would he do that?”
Hima stood and leaned slightly, sending the women tumbling into each other. “Because I am piloting him. Enough answer?”
When she straightened, they settled on the floor. She waited until she saw Dif stagger for the first time in centuries, and then, she followed him. The others were far ahead now, but she knew from experience that they would catch up in under a minute. Only a bot could lift another bot, and Len was the designated lifter in case Dif fell.
The women were rocking slightly as she picked up speed, and when she was running, one of them whispered, “How long will this take?”
“We will be to the city in about twenty minutes or less. We get faster every time we go out. Dif is doing well, so we will be right behind him.”
“Why are we behind the Otta bot?”
Hima smiled slightly. “If he falls, we want him up fast. That takes another bot.”
“What if you fall?” One of the warriors was worried.
“If I fall, I get up. I have the memories of the pilots before me. I can get up from any angle, including flat on Len’s back.”
The women looked a little relieved at that.
Hima hoped she was right. No one had ever tipped Len over before.
She was focused on the run when one of the women said with a squeak, “Is that blood?”
Hima started laughing and kept it up all the way to the chasm.
* * * *
Kiida felt awkward and obviously inexperienced as she climbed Dif out of his hole. The women in the command deck with her were watching the outer displays as they rocked and tilted with her every movement.
Thankfully, the women were quiet, as if knowing that any sound would freak Kiida out. She got them up and slowly gained Dif’s full height.
“Well, done, Kiida. All systems are green.”
Kiida nodded, and she said, “Thanks, Dif. Here we go.”
The first few steps were awkward. She hadn’t walked before, so it was difficult to not think that she was moving tons of metal with every step.
“Watch the bots ahead of you and mimic what they are doing. The motion will come easily if you are thinking of my body as your own.” The whisper was in her head.
She tried to move naturally. She took one step and then another. In a few steps, she was in a hard jog, but when she was able to focus on Cio’s limbs ahead of her, she got a good running rhythm going.
Dif’s arms and legs were moving with a long, loping motion. She ran with the monorail track in the distance, and her speed soon astonished her. The other bots were faster, but she was traveling at a speed she had never reached in her life.
The twenty armed women were crouched on the floor in front of her, and they swayed with every step she took. The moment that she began to slow, several of them flexed the hands that had locked on to the straps bolted to the interior of the command deck. Their hands were tense, their bodies were tense, and if the others didn’t get the bridge up, she was going to have a bunch of airsick fighters on her hands. Dif should be able to fire his burners, but they hadn’t tested it for obvious reasons.
She slowed, and the other bots turned to look at her. Myx, Cio, Kab, and Ai gave her a literal thumb’s up. It looked so weird coming from a bot.
Feeling accepted and moderately competent, she only had one fervent wish. She really hoped that she didn’t run like a girl.
Author’s Note
I have been trying to get that last joke in for three books.
Next book is when we find out what the hell Xaia knows that we don’t. There are surprises for me and you and more issues with the sample of humanity in the city.
Aiming for release in another seven days.
Thanks for reading,
Viola Grace
About the Author
Viola Grace (aka Zenina Masters) is a Canadian sci-fi/paranormal romance writer with ambitions to keep writing for the rest of her life. She specializes in short stories because the thrill of discovery, of all those firsts, is what keeps her writing.
An artist who enjoys a story that catches you up, whirls you around and sets you down with a smile on your face is all she endeavours to be. She prefers to leave the drama to those who are better suited to it, she always goes for the cheap laugh.
