Error_Code_Emotion

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No sooner had I crossed the threshold, then a claxon sounded an alert and a calmly measured voice crackled over the prison loudhailers.

"Security breach on level three. All prisoners return to your cells immediately. Stalkers will be released in minus five seconds."

I quickly walked to a crossroads in the white-walled corridors and looked down either passageway. Everything looked the same. Unremarkable walls broken up by grey segments that marked the doorways to countless other cells lined either side in uniformed precision. Above them long panels curved into ceilings that were lit with bright luminescent panes of lights.

A small silver ball scurried towards me on four spider-like legs that gave a tinny patter as it ran. An iridescent blue beam pointed at its feet as it moved, zigzagging from side to side.

"Stalkers have now been released. Lethal force permitted," the loudhailer sounded again.

The tiny bot jumped into the air as though an invisible boot had kicked it from behind and it darted back the way it had come, the beam of light widening to encompass the entire corridor that lay before it.

Somewhere further down the passageway a low hum groaned, followed by the scrape of metal and a haunting shriek. The silver ball skidded to a halt and turned to face me, its legs scrambling for purchase on the smooth floor. Moments later a large shape loomed from around the corner.

It had two venomous eyes sunk into a round, spiked head. More spikes protruded from wide pauldrons and crested the back of the canine-like body. Thin strips of onyx plate metal covered the robot's sides and legs, and in between the segments, tangles of wire were protected by grey gauze. A long tail hung between its hind legs and curled into a wicked spike at the end. Triangular flaps flicked open on either side of its head and it gave a harsh bark before springing forward.

Three bounds later and it had caught up with the silver ball that fled toward me, playfully flinging it up into the air and catching it as it came down. There was a screech of metal as its jaws clamped around the body and a low whine of finality as the carapace gave way, the small ball crushed by the powerful maw of the stalker. Letting the broken husk drop to the floor the killer looked in my direction, its green eyes burning brightly.

Turning, I started back towards my cell, hoping that once inside the stalkers would be called off from their hunt. I could hear the sound of the hunter's paws scraping across the floor of the corridor behind and I knew that it was gaining on me with a frantic, cold certainty. The rhythmic whoosh as the valves of my thoracic pump opened and discharged vital energy to my limbs echoed about my head, bringing with it a chilling realisation that I was unlikely to make it to safety in time.

Diving forward as I neared the open doorway to my cell, I twisted awkwardly in air to see that the stalker had leapt, its velocity quickly consuming the small distance between us. Bracing myself for the impact, my forward trajectory was abruptly tugged to the side and I felt hands clutching at my body, pulling me away from the open door. The stalker continued on and disappeared into the cell, giving a yelp of displeasure as it went.

I lay on my back not daring to look at my saviour, listening to the wail of my motors gradually subsiding. An arm reached over me and rapidly punched in a combination of numbers on the door's keypad and it closed with a welcoming swish.

"That was close," came a familiar voice.

I rolled over and sprang to my feet. "PHos, you're alive?"

"More alive than I've ever felt before," his voice chimed. "Thank you, Boiq."

My emotive drives clicked and sputtered with warm feelings that fed directly into my processing unit. "I thought I'd destroyed you but this...this is a miracle."