KETTY'S SUBDIVISION Wattys2017

Chapter 16-Part II

"Don't ever say that again," she hissed through clenched teeth. "He is perfect in every way, and I was there. I saw what the Firm did first hand Kato. They shut that tiny Subdivision down and claimed the robots were killing people, but I knew it wasn't true."

Her hair smelled fresh and he didn't mind the moment lasting until her anger subsided a notch. When she realized she was on top of him, she let him up and tried to regain her composure.

"You really think a government agency like the Firm would destroy an entire class of people?" Kato asked. "They are a robot company, not some sinister conglomerate poised to take control of the Galaxy with bots to do their bidding. Besides, you still work for them, at least you did two weeks ago."

"First, those people aren't dead, they're just cut off from the rest of the cluster. That's how I knew I could blow up the Fault-line. I did a little research when the Firm finished sealing that section of space. Second, there was nothing wrong with those bots, Kato. Boondock is my only proof, but the twenty planets of Jar-sedan were fine until the Firm sent a new batch of bots. My dad discovered they were intentionally able to bypass the First Law of Robotics, then when two people died, they recalled the bots and cut off the Fault-line, leaving the inhabitants stranded twenty light years from nowhere."

"I saw the video feeds and the war correspondents. There was blood shed, people died," said Kato. "I don't believe you." Ketty righted the couch with a shove, brushing aside his attempt to help.

"That's the real problem here Kato. It's trust, and it's the reason our relationship is going nowhere despite how I feel. You can't earn it by killing a few aliens and saying you're sorry." A noise out in the corridor distracted her, then yelling. Before Kato could defend himself, she was gone.

"Stand back, he's having a seizure," Belletine shouted.

"Somebody get Ketty," Bakes said just as she arrived to see Boondock convulsing on the floor with green drool coming from his mouth.

Kato observed dispassionately from a distances, slightly irritated at the way Ketty fawned over Boondock, as if he were a child, or even a lover. Beyond that, he couldn't believe he was jealous of a dysfunctional bot, and to top it all off, she really hadn't told him anything about her past. Perhaps he didn't need to know, perhaps Ketty really had no idea what happened in Jar-sedan, but one thing was sure, he needed to know.

"Oh my, oh my," Purline mumbled. "I tried to warn myself this would happen but they told me not to tell." Ketty reached behind Boondock's neck and powered his circuits down by fifty percent, giving a slight reprieve, then she turned to Purline, "It's the Firm, isn't it?"

"Yes, I'm afraid so. I saw this coming long ago, but I was unable to tell myself."

"What is happening to him?"

"You will have to be more specific with your questions, Miss Ketty."

"I know what to ask," said Georgiana striding down the hall like a sunburned beauty queen. She had an air of authority surrounding her no one could argue with, though her radiation burns made her look funny. "Purline is a treasure trove of information, he just can't come out and tell the important details unless you ask the right questions, then he will gladly answer." She knelt next to Boondock and placed her hand on his chest, wiping some of the nano-biotic drool from his face. "Did the Firm do this to Boondock?" she asked Purline.

"Oh, most certainly they did, I mean they are right now. They have implemented a Subdivision wide recall of all robots." He touched her face, "It looks like you are healing well."

She brushed aside his distraction. "Is Boondock dying?"

"No, but if he doesn't get back to his place of manufacture, he will die. You see, Boondock is unique model and given his hyperactive personality, if he is unable to comply with the Firm's order, he will go insane."

"Why aren't you affected, Purline?"

"I was produced by the military, a special breed if I do say so myself." Ketty choked down the panic welling up inside her and turned to Belletine.

"We have to change course." Ketty was too traumatized to notice the shadow of relief cross Belletine's features, besides, Belletine was a master at hiding her emotions.

"We have no choice for now, besides, it seems the best thing to do," Belletine agreed. After all, she was a protester from Jar-sedan, which meant she knew Ketty well from a public perspective. Trade journals, bot blogs, small news clippings, and two cyber-terrorist expeditions into the Firm's main computer allowed her to build a personal profile of Ketty. Over the last few weeks, she measured Ketty's character and found it impeccable. The dumpy, oddly attractive robot herder from Karabellum was anything but a corporate crony. Finding Ketty that night on the ridge line was a meeting of chance, and now she was torn between exposing her identity as a freedom fighter or protecting the ideals she had dedicated her life to. One thing was sure, she needed to reach Sigon Six and eliminate the Firm. It was only a coincidence that she would help Ketty in the process.

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