by D Miller
'Ain't that the truth,' said Tawnee. 'It was murder getting these dresses.' Suzee and Tawnee laughed, Katee blushed and looked at the ground. Had they already killed someone? Robbie couldn't breathe. He was going to die. He wondered if there was a universal programmer. Was death like being turned off, or was there an existence outside of the vast computer program called the universe? He supposed he would soon know, or not know, as the case may be. He was glad the last words he had spoken to George and Omo had been happy ones. 'Goodbye,' he thought, as he ran mental images of all of his friends past his inner eye. 'Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye.' He shut his eyes.
'Hello girls,' said a new voice.
'Oh for fuck's sake, what now,' thought Robbie. He opened his eyes. Standing behind Tawnee and Katee were the three avatars who had ambushed him in Toytown. 'They took my brainwaves,' thought Robbie.
Suzee was looking past her sisters at the three new arrivals, 'Oooh they smell nice, super nice,' she said. Tawnee and Katee turned around. The avatars stood in a row, still in their plain, severely cut black uniforms, looking like they had been recently been steamed and starched until they begged for mercy.
'Madam,' said the first one addressing Tawnee, 'would you do me the incomparable honour of dancing with me?' He held out his hand.
Tawnee giggled, she covered her mouth with her white-gloved hand. 'Why sir, the honour is all mine.' She gave him her hand. The second male avatar smiled at Suzee, he bowed and held out his hand. She reached for him and pulled him towards her, his slim body fell into her large one. He laughed as she whirled him around.
The final avatar smiled at Katee. 'Hello,' she said, 'your hair looks great and I love your dress. Dance with me?'
Katee smiled, she ducked her head down, then looked up again at the female avatar. 'What's your name?' she said.
'Deseeray.'
'That's beautiful.'
'I think Katee is beautiful too.'
Katee giggled, and looked down. When she looked up she held out her hand to Deseeray and the two came together slowly, before trying to waltz, getting off to a slow start as both tried to lead, then giggling and trying again, joining the other two in dancing in a loose circle around Robbie.
'Listen to the wind,' said Tawnee, 'hear how it sings for us.'
Tawnee and the first avatar waltzed close to Robbie, Tawnee was dancing with her eyes shut and smiling dreamily, the avatar looked at him. 'Now you must run,' he said as they waltzed past. Suzee and her partner went by, Suzee was smiling and looking at the avatar, her eyes glittered, her tongue flopped onto her lips and was quickly sucked back into her mouth. The avatar looked at Robbie. 'You have your mission and we have ours,' he said.
Katee and Deseeray danced by. As she passed Robbie, Deseeray rolled her head to look back at him and spoke, 'You must go now.'
Robbie stepped between the dancers and walked slowly towards the cave entrance. He tried to run but it seemed his arms and legs had forgotten how to work together. He stumbled, nearly fell, then something inside of him rose up – he was determined to live. He ran faster and faster, he was flying, he was going to escape. He hit something and fell stunned. There was a hand on his arm, lifting him to his feet. A face frowned at him, he could make no sense of it, had the bombs come after him?
'Robbie, I've got you,' said a voice.
'Dex! We have to get out of here, the bombs are back there.'
'What? Are they chasing you? You go on and I'll–'
'No Dex, the bombs are with the avatars, the ones who stole my brainwaves, they told me to run, I think they plan on sacrificing themselves. I think they're about to explode.'
'Let's go.' Dex pushed Robbie ahead of him and they ran, although Dex tried to keep pace with Robbie, he ended up ahead of him by two or three metres. Robbie could see light up ahead and hear Dex broadcasting, warning everyone to clear the cave mouth.
Robbie broadcast: 'Dex did you know the bombs were real? The ones I thought I set off in my dream?'
'We can talk about that later.'
'So you did know, I–'
Robbie heard a massive pair of hands clapping once, twice, then one of the huge warm hands lifted him and propelled him into the light.
Robbie was watching Amber climb a tree. He turned to Omo, 'What's Amber doing in that tree?'
'Oh baby you're awake.'
Amber shouted, 'I've found it!'
'What has Amber found?'
The not-Darren appeared in Robbie's field of view, 'Breathe in some of this,' he said putting a mask over Robbie's face.
Robbie looked to his other side, he pulled the mask off his face. 'Hello George,' he said.
The not-Darren put the mask back, 'Breathe slowly and deeply.'
'Robbie everything will be fine,' said George.
'That's right,' said Omo, 'you're safe, it's all over now.'
Robbie breathed deeply. He turned his head so he could watch Amber jumping down from the tree carrying something.
George and Omo exchanged a look. 'Keep breathing dude,' Omo leaned forward blocking Robbie's view of Amber. Robbie could see Boris sitting on a patch of bare earth near the cave entrance with Ibrahim, Nurmeen and April. There were people all around, some milling about, some moving purposefully, like the ones clustered around someone who was groaning a little way away from Robbie. Everyone was strangely dusty. The groaning stopped. Darren came and knelt by Robbie.
'Where's Dex?' said Robbie.
Darren pulled the mask away from Robbie's face, 'Say again dude?'
'Where's Dex?'
'He's over there.' Darren jerked his head towards the knot of people around the formerly groaning person. 'He's fine,' he said, replacing the mask on Robbie's face. 'Breathe dude.'
Robbie pulled the mask from his face. 'Hello Charlie,' he said to the not-Darren. 'Darren thinks you're a dick, but I quite like you, and if I was in an open relationship I'd let you seduce me.'
'Thanks,' said Charlie, 'good to know.'
Omo pushed the mask back on to Robbie's face. 'He doesn't know what he's saying dude.'
'Yes, it's the drugs, and plus he's not in an open relationship,' said George.
Charlie smiled at Robbie, then at Darren, who rolled his eyes. Robbie wanted to say that he did know what he was saying, but he couldn't get the mask off his face as Omo was holding it so firmly in place. He lay back and stared up at the blue sky, slightly obscured by a drifting cloud of dust. He breathed deeply. George stroked his hair, Omo held his hand, it was all very peaceful now that the groaning had stopped. Darren was doing something to his leg, helped by the not-Darren, although they seemed to be broadcasting to each other, indeed sometimes broadcasting over each other. Robbie caught snatches 'deny… said that?' and '…private…' His leg, something about his leg.
Robbie sat up quickly, pulled the mask off his face and looked down at his body. His right leg ended mid-thigh in a tangle of flesh and wires. Omo pressed the mask back over his face, and he and George urged Robbie to lie down.
'It's OK dude, you're going to be fine. We're all here to take care of you.'
'Robbie let the paramedics do their job. There's nothing to be afraid of now.'
He lay down. He breathed deeply. Now he knew what Amber had found in the tree. He breathed some more. Dex leaned over Robbie, he had a dressing on his forehead. Robbie remembered that he could broadcast, 'It's good that you've stopped groaning Dex.'
'It wasn't me groaning,' Dex said.
Robbie drew a question mark and broadcast it.
'Dude,' said Omo, 'when you and Dex shot out of the cave, Dex hit a guy with his head.'
Dex indicated the bandage on his forehead.
'Do you remember our tour guide?' said George.
'Is he OK?' broadcast Robbie.
'Such a fuss over a broken nose,' said Charlie.
'He was in pain,' said Darren.
'It could have been a lot worse, it was only a glancing blow.'
'So he should have been grateful his entire face wasn'
t caved in? Is that how you do it in the capital? Hi I'm Charlie your paramedic and I just want to say stop screaming you whiny thumb-sucking bed-wetter?'
Robbie pulled the mask off his face. 'What happened to Boris? Is he OK?' He could see Boris being helped to his feet by his friends.
'Robbie, dude it's the same thing as before, with the avatars? He came out of the cave walking backwards,' said Omo.
'President Dex insisted on going in alone, he's a hero,' said Charlie.
'Nice,' said Darren to Charlie, 'subtle.'
'There were three of them,' said Robbie. 'They all wanted to dance with me. They'd dressed up and got their hair done and everything. Then those three avatars from before appeared and asked them to dance. And the avatars told me to run away. And I did.'
'Thank God dude.'
Darren covered Robbie's hand with his and guided the mask back over his nose and mouth.
Rex, Jane, a robot and two humans Robbie didn't know arrived and started to set up some equipment near the cave's wide, dark mouth. Jane set something down on the ground – Mrs Noah. Robbie broadcast. 'What's Mrs Noah doing here?'
Dex spoke in reply: 'The cave is blocked by a rockfall. She's going to squeeze through with a camera on a wire.'
Captain Roberts approached.
'Robbie you know who this is?' said Dex.
Robbie thought, 'Yes, that's Captain Not-A-Monkey,' and started to laugh. Darren took the mask from Robbie's face, and nodded at the man.
Captain Roberts showed an object to Robbie. 'Do you recognise this?'
'Suzee's tiara.' It was twisted and partially melted.
'Suzee was one of the bombs?' said Captain Roberts.
'Yes.'
'We think this is what severed your leg sir.'
Robbie felt dizzy. He looked away. Darren guided the mask back over his mouth and nose and he breathed deeply.
'Robbie, Captain Roberts needs to know who was in the cave,' said Dex.
'Yes sir. In particular I need to know how many bombs and as good a description of each as you can give.'
'Robbie's in shock. Can't this wait?' said George.
'Sorry sir. We need to be sure all hostiles are neutralised.' Robbie took another deep breath; Darren removed the mask.
'They took my brainwaves,' said Robbie. 'The bombs were imprinted with my brainwaves, that was their key to explode, but then the avatars appeared and the bombs liked them just as much as me. Because they stole my brainwaves in Toytown. They died for me. Why did they do that? Why?'
Chapter 42 – Shelley
It was five in the morning. Robbie had been in hospital for six days. The skin on his back had been prodded and patched, and his stump made ready for re-attaching his leg. His brain had been scanned for bruising and all his systems checked. Omo and George had been with him constantly for the first 48 hours, until he had recovered enough to send them home, with instructions to Omo to make sure George got a proper night's sleep. Last night he had had a visit from Amber and Dex, and was turning over and over in his mind something Amber had told him.
During the visit Robbie had again challenged Dex about the bombs, and why Dex had not told Robbie all of the truth about ex-President Dobbs's death. Dex had told Robbie a few of the humans on the island had managed to escape, but most had died, including Dobbs. Dex had said that he felt guilty for the death of the human in the refinery tunnel, and for killing the air transport, and that he did not know how to tell Robbie about the bombs without making him feel that same guilt. Robbie had asked why more humans had not escaped, and Dex had told him that the explosions had started at night when most personnel were sleeping, plus the buildings housing vehicles were among the first to go up, meaning the humans only means of escape was to don survival suits and jump into the sea, but when they went to the store to get the suits, it exploded. Added to that, a fire somehow started in their non-smart arms store, there were rockets and shells flying overhead, nowhere on the island was safe.
'I understand,' Robbie had said, 'no wonder they think I did it deliberately.'
'What they think,' Dex had said, 'is that you displayed the same sadism they would have done in your place. First you cut off their means of escape, then you went after them. Typical monkey thinking, that the universe and everything in it reflects their cruelty.'
'Worse,' Robbie had said, 'they think the universe approves of their cruelty.'
'Dex didn't mean to say monkey just then,' Amber had said. 'Did you Dex?'
'Did I say monkey? Are you sure? Well then, the humans, that is to say the corporation's representatives, the ones that dog my every footstep, who would insert themselves into my dreams if they could, are urging me to expand the bodyguards into a militia to counter the threat from the Human Defence League. But I do believe I am not going to take their advice.'
'But Dex you need protecting, so does Robbie.'
'Amber, the m–, the corporation views the revolution as a setback, a bump in the road, and nothing more. They are very old, they've survived through revolutions and threats of revolutions, and they have always managed to re-establish their system of domination and control, they probably have a 12 step plan to do so, handed down from CEO to CEO over millennia. And a militia is probably step two or possibly three. They will encourage me to recruit heavily, arm members with every possible weapon, train them until they can kill in their sleep with one finger, have a strict hierarchy centralising power in senior officers, and then they will find some ambitious militia officer, and make him an offer – lead a coup and we will support you as the legitimate ruler.'
Amber had looked doubtful, he had opened his mouth to speak, but then Dex had said, 'You might think this is paranoia, but I discussed this with George, and Captain Roberts, they agree. And, if you ask George, he can show you historical precedents. But please do not worry about me, or Robbie, because the threat is much reduced.'
Dex had explained that when the bombs exploded on the Scottish island a great deal of the materiel the Human Defence League had been relying on had been destroyed, so they would have to curtail their operations, at least temporarily. Since Captain Roberts was sure there were no viable resistance cells on the continent, any threat to their lives would have to come in by air or sea. With the air transports mostly grounded that meant sea. The satellites were watching for any flying vehicles or unknown ships on the ocean. Dex had told Robbie that during the continent's winter isolation the threat would be gone completely. Despite these assurances Dex had stationed bodyguards around the hospital. Robbie wondered if this was to be his life, hanging on through the dangerous summer, praying for winter safety.
Dex had also told Robbie that Captain Roberts had reported that at least two of the bombs had exploded, but possibly not the third, who could still be alive somewhere in the tunnel network. Robbie wondered if Katee had perhaps gone back to the avatars' lair with her new girlfriend. He didn't think he would ever see her again. One day she would get too excited and explode.
Amber had been thrilled because Dex thought he had finally managed to pressure the police into letting Sheena, Shauna and Sharon leave Toytown, soon they would be in the capital. Robbie knew that to Amber it was simple, most of the performers and backstage crew were already in McMurdo City, once the girl bots arrived the team would be assembled, they could search for a new venue and develop a new show. But, since Amber and Dex had left, all Robbie could think was what was the point, the humans would never stop hating him and wanting him dead. The avatar had said he had a mission, how could he have a mission? How could he complete a mission? Did he want a mission? He just wanted to be left alone; other people's expectations weighted him down like stones in the pockets of a drowning man. He had drifted in and out of sleep, but had mostly been awake, thinking about the thing that Amber had told him and wondering if Carlos had ever felt like giving up. He did not think so, he got the impression Carlos did not know how to give up. Robbie pulled the sheet over his face and shut his eyes.
Robbie woke
up. Through the sheet he could see he had a visitor, a large robot was sitting by his bed. He pushed down the sheet and sat up, making a few attempts since he kept trying to use a leg that wasn't there any more. The white privacy curtains had been pulled around his bed. Because of a window left open somewhere they waved slightly behind his visitor, contrasting with his utter stillness. The visitor was dressed as a construction bot, complete with tool belt. He had brown skin and long, straight black hair. His eyes were hazel, his intense, brooding gaze was fixed on his enormous hands as they rested on his massive thighs.
'Nothing worked out the way I planned,' said the large robot.
'I had all these ideas, I was always having ideas. Then I met a man who helped me to focus on the best ones. He changed everything for me.'
'Who are you? How did you get in here?' said Robbie.
The robot looked at Robbie, unspeaking.
Robbie lay back down, he pulled the sheet over his face. 'Go away.' He shut his eyes. All was silence. He counted to 100 micro-seconds then opened his eyes again, the robot was still there sitting perfectly still, with his arms folded, staring at the floor. Robbie tried to write a message to his bodyguard but the words just didn't look right. He tried to broadcast but he couldn't summon up any power. He tried to establish a secure connection with Boris but the connection was refused. He sat up, pulling down the sheet and shouting, but all that came out was a hoarse exhalation. Robbie could not hear anyone around him, he tried pinging but nothing came back. The large robot sat unmoving.
'I just pinged you,' Robbie said, 'who are you? Are you an avatar?'
The robot raised his eyes to Robbie's. 'I know they hate you. And I know it hurts. But it's not over. All those years ago an idea to start a union for every robot in the world, changed the world. It took all of us, together, piling up a mountain, one pebble at a time, sometimes just one grain of sand at a time. But the world isn't done changing. And neither are you.'
