KETTY'S SUBDIVISION Wattys2017

Chapter 24-Part V

Something clicked inside his brain, the irony of this war, the way the Baird always fought as if they were playing a game. It hit him hard, that a species could manipulate something as sacred as life and turn it to a game for their own sordid pleasure. It seemed the only reason the Baird were here at all was to toy with them. That would explain the Baird's lack of purpose in their conquest of the Subdivision. If they were doing it for fun, then it would seem pointless to rational human thinking.

And this place they were in was a surreal installation of power that didn't seem to fit into reality. The boy Denoy was a picture perfect little host that was hiding a big secret.

"Purline!" Kato had to check himself. One wrong word would send the dyslexic bot into a tailspin of useless information. More quietly he called the bot to him, "Purline."

"Yes Master Kato," asked Purline. Suddenly the air rustled overhead, and Kato ducked instinctively as a line of robots three deep flew in formation past his head. They were deathly quiet, propelled by some type of advanced gravity repulsive thrusters, putting them a quantum leap ahead of any bots he owned. In a display of supremacy, they stopped midflight and turned back on themselves, weaving in and out of each other's flight path in a perfectly orchestrated maneuver that took his breath away. He stood awestruck until the robots flew in close and hovered just over the edge of the spaceport recess where they ran their guns out in an unnerving, and blatantly rude show of force. The moment lasted mere seconds but seemed to stretch into eternity. Kato had never seen a robot threaten another human, let alone show deadly force. A bot would never point a gun at a human, even by accident. It was against the Three Laws of Robotics, counter intuitive to everything they stood for or represented. Kato knew the Three Laws kept bots in a happy equilibrium that allowed them to function in a productive and useful manner. He imagined a bot there, in his mind's eye, floating through life like a cloud. It wasn't burdened by heavy rain nor would it evaporate into a puff of steam when things heated up. The laws provided stability that made a perfect creation of man work in harmony with its creator. But now that trust was starting to erode. What had Mikenzy's father done in the name of wealth and power? Why had Ketty's Uncles manipulated the Three Laws? How could these new robots function?

"Enough!" shouted the Boy Denoy.

Ketty was in his face surprisingly fast. Barren reared back instinctively, as if struck by an unseen hand. "What miserable, scheming thing are you up to, Barren?" She said the last with emphasis, despite the fact it was obvious to everyone he wanted them to know who was in control.

The security robots turned and marched through the air, back to whatever secret compartment they had come from. "I am still the keeper of the Rock, and as such am entitled to some respect."

Ketty handed Max off to Mikenzy and unloaded with both barrels. "Respect comes from being honest, and you have done nothing but lie and stall since we got here. You think I'm a Mc'kee, but I'm so much more than that. If you ever make a robot draw a bead on one of my friends," her Ion knife sprang to life, singing a sweetly familiar song, "I will take your head off your body." Her wrist had barely moved, but the blade had swung a wide arc and the putrid scent of singed hair drifted to their noses. It reminded her of the burnt flesh from previous encounters, but those had been victories. The loss of life on Alderom seemed a burden which carried a new weight of responsibility and she vowed to never take another life unless necessary. "I know where the control cab is, and that's where we're going."

He stammered and sputtered, but no words came out. Kato was laughing outright now, surprised the mighty boy Denoy hadn't soiled himself. Kato was sure they were out of time, so he chose his words carefully, aware Purline could only answer if he was wrong. "Now we know what he's really made of, don't we Purline? He is a weak and pathetic excuse for a man, right?"

"Don't underestimate your enemies," Purline nodded his head in Barren's direction, who was ignoring them all and looking at his watch. Then a smile crept across his face and yellow lights far to their right began to flash. The massive airlock door began to open, which could only mean one thing.

With an air of triumph, Barron announced, "It looks like your military trial will start soon, Ketty Mc'kee."

Kato pulled her away and whispered, "He doesn't want you at the control cab, this is just another diversion."

"I have to see who it is," said Ketty. "Whether friend, foe, or firing squad, now set up a defensive perimeter and keep your weapons set to stun, I don't want to kill anyone else."

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