A sci-fi serial in 69 parts featuring original art with every chapter.
Braggadocio between American and Japanese robotics engineers on social media becomes serious once corporate backers join the fray and commission build teams for an international...
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Lumin's ear piece beeped. She walked outside the mess tent to escape the noisy revelry and opened her channel to Z-Command. "Yasamin?"
"Lumin, I have urgent news."
"I heard...why didn't you tell me about Seattle?"
"No, this is an entirely different matter. Something went haywire with our tracking system. The diagnostic feeds monitoring Kengi Sato's squadron somehow merged with another pilot's and returned an inaccurate status report. Sato never returned to the rendezvous point."
"What?" said Lumin, shocked. "I just assumed Sato was resting or...wait, where is he?"
"He's currently 40 miles south of Twin Falls, Idaho. I was able to retrieve some GPS coordinates from his robot's black box, which is still transmitting. Everything else is offline; I don't have any information on his vital signs or how much damage his robot may have sustained."
"What about the rest of his squadron...his support bots?"
"M.I.A.," said Yasamin. "Their diagnostics were completely wiped clean by the same bug that caused us to lose track of Sato."
"Damn it. He's normally so solitary that we took his absence for granted." Lumin looked up and saw Miu Dokujima approaching her.
"I heard Sato-san's name," said Miu. "He's missing, isn't he?"
"Yes, but we'll find him," said Lumin.
"What's our plan?" asked Yasamin.
"I'm going out after him. I was one of the last pilots to land and I'm still suited-up. Yasamin, get a fresh robot prepped for me ASAP and upload Sato's GPS coordinates into its navigation computer."
Miu stepped closer. "I'm coming with you." Her demeanor was calm but her voice was stern.
Lumin nodded. "Miu Dokujima will be my backup. Get her a fresh machine as well."
"Lumin, it's too dangerous. We have no idea what Sato may have encountered out there."
"That's an order, Miss Jones," said Lumin.
"Roger," said Yasamin, giving no further fight. "Head to the east side of the camp. I have two robots already lined up for you. They'll be ready for launch by the time you arrive. Lumin, you'll take Unit 04 and Miu will be in Unit 09. A support crew will be waiting to get you into your control bells."
"Thanks Yasamin, over and out," said Lumin. She looked at Miu. "Let's go."
Skip came running up and put her hand on Lumin's arm. "Whoa, what's going on?"
"I have to go, Skip. Yasamin can fill you in on the details," said Lumin, pulling way from him. She sprinted away toward the edge of the camp with Miu following close behind.
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Minutes later, Lumin and Miu were airborne in their borrowed bots. They headed north, flying low over southern Idaho's arid, rocky terrain.
