Steel Defender by Cameron Coral

Author:Cameron Coral [Coral, Cameron]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Cameron Coral

Chapter 20

The lifeless CleanerBot stared upward and was missing one eye.

Block had never encountered another X4J6 in his short time on this planet. His model wasn't prevalent because the manufacturer had gone bankrupt soon after releasing his model. Mr. Wallace had scooped Block up at a going out of business sale. To find one now in all this wreckage was statistically improbable.

“Its legs are intact,” Maxwell said.

“Looks like that CleanerBot went through hell,” LB said. Its entire middle was scorched and racked with bullet holes.

“Yeah, who hasn’t?” Maxwell asked. “The way things are nowadays.”

Block scanned the expired CleanerBot and counted at least four bullet holes, including one that had pierced its CPU. The large black scorch marks meant it had gotten too near a fire. That, or someone had set it on fire. As he looked at the robot, he considered that it could've just as easily been him. Cybel had shot him after all, even grazed his CPU. It was lucky that Nigel had been able to bring him back at all or that the humans didn’t just leave him on the road to be picked up by this crew. Block backed up a step, regarding the huge pile of metal junk in front of him. “What's going to happen to all of this?”

“Well,” Maxwell said. “Some of it will become parts, but most of it’s going to be metal for weapons and ammunition. Some of it will be structural for holding up this rickety old mine.”

Maxwell kept talking, but Block tuned him out. Instead, he stared at the dead CleanerBot. His model was not meant for fighting. He was worried. Very worried.

Block. Nova's voice floated into his feed, and he recoiled. He modulated her voice lower.

“Whoa, pal.” LB rested a hooked hand on Block’s shoulder. “You all right? You looked like you were going to fall over for a second there.”

Nova said, Block, can you hear me? Come in.

“Yes, I am… fine.” Block gazed one last time at the dead CleanerBot. “I need a recharge. I didn't realize I'm running so low.”

“Is that all? You should've said something. We could've stopped on the way. I'll take you to one of the charger stations.” LB wrapped an arm around Block’s shoulder and started to guide him.

Maxwell called out. “Hey what about these spare feet? Do you want them or not?”

LB paused. “Yes, we want them. Bring the parts to my workstation. That's where we’ll fix Block up.”

Back in the small connecting tunnel, a charging station rested against the wall, and Block hooked in via his tube. His energy indicator kicked on and showed his refueling level at forty-six percent, which was plenty. He didn't really need the juice, but he'd wanted to get away from the dead CleanerBot, and with Nova squawking in his feed, things were complicated. LB waited by his side. He couldn't very well talk to Nova in front of LB, or anyone, for that matter.

She kept at it. Block, it's Nova. Maybe you don't have your magnet on, or maybe you can't respond.

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