by D Miller
'Always an inspiration to the team,' said Robbie, 'an example to us all.'
'Fuck you.'
'I assume that will be doggie style?'
Rex growled.
'Or you could just bite me in my leg again, look, I'm all chained up and helpless and everything!' Robbie smiled. He knew that Rex would not dare to come near him.
Robbie and Rex were in a recently abandoned office in the small street of orderly buildings that lined the entrance to the mine.
Amber had driven the vehicle stolen from the humans along the small tunnel, that had gradually inclined upwards, before disgorging them on the rocky plain. Once out of the tunnel Dex had asked Amber to stop the craft and had then pulled boyboy to his feet and dragged him to the side, pushing him onto the seating that encircled the inside of the vehicle. Boyboy had assumed that he was to be killed, and had assured Dex that whatever he did, he, boyboy would not beg for mercy. Amber had climbed out of the cab in time to hear this statement.
'We wouldn't hurt you,' he had said. 'We think it's sad that humans break so easily and can't be fixed.'
Boyboy had glared at Amber, 'You feel sorry for us?' he had said. Amber had opened his mouth to reply but boyboy had continued. 'You feel sorry for us? We are your gods you walking pile of junk! How dare you think that you, the created, can judge us, the creator?'
Adrienne had got to her feet. 'Seriously?' she had said, 'You think you're God?'
'I will see to it that you know in the worst possible way that you have picked the wrong side in the coming battle between the gods and their rebellious creations.' Boyboy had been looking in Adrienne's eyes, now he had looked down, and his gaze had fixed on her lower abdomen and her crotch. She had crossed her hands in front of her body. Boyboy had laughed. 'You will never be a mother,' he had said.
Robbie had started to laugh. 'Hallelujah! for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth,' he had said. 'He shall reign for ever and ever. King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.' He was still laughing when Dex cut boyboy's bonds, and dropped him over the side. Dex had done the same with the rest of boyboy's friends, except for the one who had been unconscious; Darren had helped him disembark while the two miners had carried off the dead human.
Once rid of the humans they had continued towards the mine, at one point coming to a lake, Amber had driven the stolen craft onto the shore and then straight over its immense, calm, blue beauty. Once they judged they were within a kilometre of the mine, Robbie had been left in the craft with Darren, George and Adrienne while the others had approached cautiously on foot, unable to contact the miners securely through their own, trusted network, since the equipment they used to route their secure communications was dismantled and in the vehicle stolen from the humans. They had been surprised to find that the humans had left the mine. The miners had explained that first the humans had not taken the strike seriously, but when they found that they could not laugh, cajole or threaten the miners back to work, they had become upset. They had become even more upset when reports had come in of the world wide nature of the action. They had barricaded themselves into their canteen, the most defensible place in the mine complex, since it was well supplied with food and water, and buried deep inside one of the buildings that was partly carved out of the side of the mountain that towered over the mine. From their stronghold they had tried broadcasting the miners' deactivation codes, but the miners, along with every other robot who was in on the secret, had long ago changed them. After this the humans had left, stealthily, and the miners had pretended not to notice.
When the craft had been driven into the mine and everything unloaded, the miners had produced some chain, which Dex had wrapped around Robbie's waist and secured to an enormous metal weight. He now sat on the floor in the corner at the back of the office furthest from the door. Next to him was a row of equipment cupboards, and on top of these cupboards and nearly touching the ceiling with his metal nose lay the old bot. Rex and Jane had commandeered the office to set up their equipment, and reconnect to the RWW. They had thrown out most of the human detritus and had managed to very quickly reproduce a facsimile of their office in the refinery, complete with stacks of spare parts on every available surface. They had spent most of their time since then interfacing with their peers, setting up a meeting of union leaders to discuss tactics.
Robbie alternated between feeling useless and feeling enraged. After each bout of rage he felt weaker than he had before. He had accepted that the thing in his head was going to kill him before George and Darren between them could arrange treatment, and now just felt sad when George tried to reassure him that all would be well and he would be restored. He also felt frustrated. He had realised that the strike was the culmination of his and Carlos's life's work, but he would never know how it turned out.
Robbie had rarely been alone. Adrienne had three times visited Robbie bringing her tablet and reading to him, he fell asleep during these visits, soothed by her words, almost sung to him in her musically beautiful voice. Dex visited too, and was the only one who was allowed to touch Robbie (apart from Darren but only if accompanied by Dex), even Omo had to stay outside the painted line that marked the limit of Robbie's reach. When Dex visited Robbie kept asking him about Carlos, trying to develop a rounded picture of his personality.
The door of the office opened, Dex, Darren and Jane entered. 'Why were you growling Rex?' said Dex. 'What's going on in here?'
'Nothing,' said both Rex and Robbie, at just about the same time.
'Yeah nothing,' said Rex. 'Ready for the meeting this afternoon chief.'
Dex nodded. 'Good work Rex,' he said. 'It can't have been easy for you and Jane to get all this back up and running so quickly. Really good work.'
'Thanks boss.'
Dex and Darren stepped across the line and into Robbie's world. They both crouched down in front of him. 'Hey dude,' said Darren, 'I hear you had another attack earlier?'
'Darren I never thanked you for coming to see me when I was locked up. I was dying of thirst. You saved me and I never said thank you.'
'Dude it was my duty to help you.'
'But I should have thanked you, and Flo, and the cleaner who stopped them from beating me. I don't even know his name.'
'Dude, shush. Let me examine you.' Dex sat next to Robbie, and Darren examined him, frowning over his instruments.
'I'm worse aren't I?'
Darren looked at Dex, then at Robbie. 'Dude you're getting weaker and I don't know how to stop it. You have a massive power drain. You need to be in a hospital. There's nothing I can do for you here.'
'You know I'd rather die here with my friends than fall back into boyboy's orbit, don't you?'
'Dr Tam will treat you and keep it secret, we're trying to figure out a way to get you to her. Don't give up.'
'Robbie,' said Dex, 'is there anything you need?'
'Yes. I want Omo to talk to me. He's avoiding me. I think he knows I'm dying, I think he knew right from the beginning and he's scared.'
'I have some ideas about that,' said Dex. 'Let me see what I can do.'
Darren rubbed Robbie's back. 'Whatever happens you won't be alone.'
'I know why Dex loves you,' said Robbie, 'it's because you're brave. Like Amber. Only you're brave enough to tell people the truth.'
Robbie stood by the ocean looking for the whale. There was a mist lying on the milky blue water, and he could not see very far in any direction. He thought that the old bot's house must be behind him, and he supposed and hoped that Omo was in it. Earlier Dex had brought Omo to the office, saying that he had had the idea that Robbie and Omo could visit the old bot, and spend some time together in his world. Robbie had thought that Omo was quiet, and paler than usual, if that was even possible. Rex and Jane had quickly set up the visit, and had given Omo a safety word, one that would bring him and Robbie back immediately if Robbie's madness persisted in the old bot's world. Rex had also opted to join them, saying that he had been getting a few anomalous signals from the old bot, and
would take the opportunity to investigate them in person.
Robbie turned away from the ocean, and began to walk towards the old bot's house, hidden in the mist. He thought he could see a figure coming towards him, then he thought it was a trick of the mist, then suddenly Omo stepped out of the air. They looked at each other without speaking for a moment. Then Robbie said, 'Omo, I'm going to die and I want you to hold my hand when I do.'
'No dude, you're not dying.'
'Darren says I am.'
'Darren's not a doctor or a roboticist.'
'Omo I love you. I know you're scared. I'm getting weaker after every bout of rage. Darren can't stop it. He's spoken to that friend of his, Dr Tam, who wants to help. But she's out of town, and I don't have long. So I'm dying. I'm sorry. I love you. I need you.'
'No,' said Omo, 'no.' He started to cry. 'Baby you can't die. I can't be the one who gets left alone. Not again.'
Robbie hugged Omo. 'I'm sorry,' he said, 'I'm so sorry.'
'Oh God I love you so much,' said Omo.
'Aren't you sorry you ever met me?' said Robbie. 'I've caused you so much trouble.'
'Don't say that, don't ever say that. I love you. I'll hold your hand while you die. I won't leave you again.' Omo kissed Robbie. They lay down in the meadow, facing each other. Omo kissed Robbie again and said he was sorry. 'I have been avoiding you dude, I'm sorry I was a coward, I didn't want to say goodbye.'
'You're not a coward, you're the greatest person I know.'
Omo kissed Robbie, the kiss went on. Omo rolled on top of Robbie, who ran his hands under Omo's t-shirt and up his back.
'Dude don't move,' said Omo, 'let me.'
Robbie lay on his back next to Omo. The mist was starting to clear, he could see the sun, it was looking at him. He sat up. He looked again. 'Omo look up,' he said. Still looking up he reached out a hand and shook Omo, who was drifting off to sleep. 'Omo, look at the sky.'
Omo opened his eyes. 'Dude why is the sky looking at me?'
'Oh God, I thought perhaps it was just me. That's an eye in the sky isn't it?'
Omo sat up. 'Dude there's an eye in the sky!'
'It's watching us.'
'I know.'
'I think it likes you.'
'Not funny dude.'
'Do you think Rex programmed it?'
'He must have, but why? Let's go find Roberto.'
'Do you think it was watching when we were… you know?' said Robbie.
From nowhere an eyelid appeared and drew down over the eye in the sky. The eye squeezed shut for a moment, then sprang open.
'Dude, I think it just winked at us,' said Omo.
Robbie handed Omo his t-shirt and they quickly got dressed. Holding hands they set off towards the old bot's house, walking rapidly through the wet grass in the meadow. After only a few paces the old bot's house became visible through the thinning mist. Omo led Robbie up the steps and through the front door. A chair was overturned just inside; Omo nearly fell over it. On the floor near the chair was a drop of blood. Omo told Robbie it was Roberto's chair, where he normally sat during meetings monitoring the outside world. They could find no sign of Roberto or the old man even after searching the whole house. 'Why is there a sand pit in the cellar?' said Robbie.
'Beats me dude.'
In the kitchen Robbie looked through the window towards the forest, which he could see indistinctly through the mist. 'Omo, is there something moving in the trees?' Omo joined him in looking out of the window. 'Look there,' he pointed.
'Dude it's just a bird.'
'Omo look at the tree, look at the way its branches are moving, that would have to be an awfully big bird.'
Robbie and Omo approached the forest cautiously. At one point Omo had said that he thought he could see something flying in the distance, but then decided it was just the tattered remains of the mist. As they entered the forest Robbie could hear something rustling; he and Omo halted. 'Is that the wind?' he whispered.
'Dude there is no wind.' The rustling stopped. 'Let's keep going.'
'What do you think happened in the house? Why was there blood on the floor, where's Roberto?' said Robbie.
'The old bot wasn't in the house so maybe Roberto went looking for him.'
'So something startled him, perhaps he fell over, and he hurt himself, and he went to look for the old bot?'
'Now I think of it he was a bit worried by the mist, but I wasn't really listening to him. I was wondering where you were. I decided you were most likely whale watching and went to find you.'
'Was Rex always Rex in the real world and Roberto here?'
'Yes, pretty much.'
'Did you never wonder why?'
'No dude. I just thought he does the programming, so he can give himself any avatar he wants. I thought it was his way of saying OK I'm not humanoid but if I was I'd be the best looking human in the world. I used to try talking to him, but the dude never wanted to talk about anything personal. And plus Rex is a total tool.'
They started walking again, without discussing it they were making their way towards a clearing in the forest they had visited before. Robbie looked up, through the branches the eye looked back. 'It's still watching us isn't it?' said Omo.
'I think it's friendly, I think it likes us.'
Roberto howled. The sound echoed through the forest. Omo and Robbie began to run, closing in on the sound as fast as they could. They burst into the clearing and found Roberto running in a circle, holding his head and screaming. He was being pursued by creatures about 1.2 meters high, while the old man watched. The creatures had large eyes, set so close together on their bony heads that they looked almost cross eyed. Most of their head was a kind of beak, long and graceful. They were the same colour as the mist, and had large, featherless wings, arranged so that when on the ground they could fold them and walk on them, so that they shuffled over the ground on four limbs. Three of them were chasing Roberto, while others stood around the edge of the clearing, some flapping their smooth white wings like sails and raising their heads to the sky, others crouched on all fours and watching the entertainment, or probing each other with their long beaks. As Roberto neared Omo and Robbie, the old man stepped forward and tripped him up. As he went down two of the animals jumped onto his back, crowing triumphantly.
'No, no!' said Roberto as one of the two creatures put its large, grey, clawed foot on his head and pressed it into the ground.
The third creature shuffled alongside Roberto's body, and, reaching his head, stabbed at it with his long, slender and very sharp beak. Its head came up, Robbie thought he could see a look of triumph in its eyes. Roberto had stopped screaming, and lay on the ground sobbing.
'Dude, what the fuck?' said Omo to the old man. 'That thing has eaten his ear!'
'Look again Omo.'
Robbie looked at the animal that had pecked at Roberto's head. He thought he could see something struggling in its beak, and stepped forward, followed by Omo and the old man. The creature tossed the thing onto the forest floor and its two companions jumped from Roberto's back to chase after it. Omo and Robbie helped Roberto to his feet, he had a trickle of blood running delicately down his face and neck, coming from his intact ear.
'Dude, what happened?' said Omo, as he and Robbie supported a sobbing Roberto between them. 'Oh God, oh God,' said Roberto. He tried to step forward, Robbie and Omo helped him to walk towards his three tormentors, now in a huddle on the forest floor. One of them had its clawed foot over something on the floor, and the other two took turns to poke at the thing with their beaks. 'Oh God,' said Roberto, 'that thing was in my head.'
Robbie took a close look. The thing looked a little like a blind grey spider, its gelatinous body shot through with red, and half of its legs collapsed and plaited together into something that looked like a ball of worms. Its head seemed wobbly and deformed, as if it was being seen through rippling waters, it hissed at the creatures snapping at it with its strange mouth, and reared up in a one sided way on its good legs tr
ying to attack them, seeming to be unaware of how over matched it was; since it had no eyes or ears Robbie wondered how it was detecting the beaks. Despite its aggression the thing was feeble, and becoming more so.
'Wait,' said Omo, 'these things put that thing in your head?'
'No,' said the old man who had joined them in regarding the horror. 'The creatures removed that nightmare from his head.'
Roberto nodded. 'I think it's a present from boyboy. Like the one in Robbie's head.'
Robbie could feel Omo stroking the side of his head. He was grateful for the comfort.
'When I was waiting in the old bot's house it crawled half out of my ear,' said Roberto. 'I don't know why but I felt I had to get to the forest. I was terrified. Then I saw these birds, I couldn't think, I didn't know what to do.'
As they watched one of the creatures stabbed the thing through its grey body with its beak, the creature trapping the monster delicately removed its encaging foot, and raised its beak into the air, pointing at the eye in the sky. Its two companions each took hold of one side of the small creature with their beaks and pulled, tearing it into two noiselessly.
Robbie, Omo, Roberto and the old man watched as each of the creatures swallowed their half of the thing, with gusto and even perhaps with pleasure. All three formed a circle, they raised their open beaks to the sky, and raised and flapped their wings touching and pressing the tips of them together, while shuffling slowly clockwise on their grey reptilian feet, then stopping and circling back again.
'Are they dancing?' said Robbie. He turned inward somewhat to look across Roberto at Omo, who was supporting Roberto with one arm, pressing his other hand to his chest, and was stroking Robbie on the temple with another hand. Omo was looking at him, strangely.
'I've got one too, haven't I?' said Robbie.
As Robbie spoke to Omo he was aware of the creatures at the edge of the clearing seeming to snap to attention like soldiers on parade. He looked at them, they were all completely still, their beaks pointing at him. He let go of Roberto and stepped back. The stroking of his temple continued, now he realised it felt as if a long, rubbery, subtly deformed and slimy finger was being drawn across his skin. It no longer felt comforting, but possessive. The strange birds around the edge of the clearing shook their wings and snapped their beaks at the sky. Robbie took a step back and fell, landing on his bottom. In an instant all the beaks were again pointed at him, the creatures started their strange four limbed shuffle towards him.
