Liberty's Heirs

Chapter 9

"All you have to do is knock the robot down and I'll graduate you to full Journeyman."  The words of Mac Spencer's promise had echoed over and over again in Blion's mind over the last twenty or so months.  He had tried a hundred times to defeat that willy robot and he had lost every time.  Now, there was no room in his mind for thinking about the promise.  He had to be laser focused on the battle.

Clang, clang, clang, clang went Blion's metal staff as it struck against the robot's.  Feint, strike, parry.  There were no mistakes.  Not from Blion and not from the robot.  It was only operating at about five percent of its full strength and speed but that made it considerably faster and stronger than a mere human.  The fight was like a game of chess as they wandered around the canyon floor.  Each move had a counter move.  Every combination of trees and rocks had different characteristics for the fight.  His dark skin was pouring with sweat.  They had been going full tilt for over half an hour.  It was Blion's best time so far, usually he'd lost long before this.

Blion had tried repeatedly to corner the robot and it had always escaped.  The robot may have severely throttled its physical abilities but its information processing capacity had never been reduced.  He couldn't beat it on strength nor could he defeat it on intelligence.  What he could do was attempt to defeat it on knowledge.  He had moved some rocks the day before when neither Mac Spencer nor the robot was around.  He positioned them such that they would appear to be a steady place to balance a foot.  When the robot actually stood on them, though they would collapse.  An in that fraction of a second while the robot attempted to regain its foothold, Blion could strike.

Footstep after footstep, inch by inch, the robot was forced closer to Blion's trap.  When it veered off, he would find a way to force it back where he wanted it.  Finally, the fight reached the location of the carefully placed stones.  Branches and larger rocks forced the robot's foot exactly where Blion wanted.  The rocks began to slide against each other due to the robot's weight. A sudden jolt, the robot was off balance and had to compensate. Blion was prepared, he didn't hesitate to strike.  He used both hands and pushed the staff into a swing as hard as he could.  He aimed at the robot's lower leg.  A hit at the crucial moment would throw off its balance just enough to make the fall unavoidable.

Once his staff was set in motion and the swing was irrevocable, the robot made its counter move.  It's appearing to lose its balance had been a ruse provoking him to strike full force, giving up his defense.  The robot was not off balance at all.  Blion's heart sank has his staff continued onward.  He looked on in horror as the robot regained its footing, jumped out of the way of Blion's blow and simultaneously used its staff to knock Blion's right out of his hand.  It clattered to the ground several feet away, far from his reach.  Though his hand was not hit by the robot's staff, the force of impact made it feel like all the bones had been shattered.

"I surrender," Blion yelled as he began nursing his stinging hand.  The loss was emotionally devastating.  The robot with its perfect memory must have noticed the slight movement of the rocks and deduced his plan. There was no shame in giving up to a foe so clearly superior.  He could always try again another day.  Mac Spencer had continually reinforced the lesson that no matter how many battles you lose, if you always approach the next one differently eventually you'll win the war.

The problem was that he couldn't think of any other ideas.  He had attempted every technique Mac Spencer had taught him and anything else he could think of.  Though his genes bestowed on him an immutably slender frame, he was stronger than a man of twice his weight, and far more agile.  He might gain in wisdom and experience, but he wasn't going to get any faster or stronger or smarter than he was this day.