Storm Warnings

by Dan Rush

The second story to Walkies Some More. Something is building around Japan and concern seems to be growing over the advanced robot body Doctor Tenma once designed for Astro.

Storm Warnings

Part II of "Walkies some more"

By Dan Rush

Astro Boy /Tetsuwan Atom © 1954, 1963, 1980, 2003, 2009 Osamu Tezuka all rights deeply respected. For non-profit fandom enjoyment only.

Note: Law Professor Toki Wazu is played in this fan fic by Osamu Tezuka. Tokiwazu is the name of the run down apartment building in Tokyo that Tezuka and some of the notable giants of early post-war manga occupied in the late 1940's.

Notes from the last episode "Walkies some more"

Doctor Tenma's brother Takiuma is going to visit him after years of antagonism between them.

Astro returns to New Shinjuku after a search of Doctor Tenma's former secret lab fails to find the "body" Tenma tried to force Astro to move into.

A fire at a steel works plant becomes a criminal investigation after evidence of laser fire is found on the remains of a propane tank.

Atlas denies he's responsible for some events which may be helping the propaganda of a prominent anti-robot group of humans called "The Keel".

Shinsaku Ban, a law enforcement officer and friend of Doctor O'Shay, has been assigned to bring Atlas in on charges for his "anti-human" activities.

Morning

New Shinjuku University

Robot and human ethics law course

A student raised her hand and stood up. "Professor. According to the 3 laws of robotics. A robot may do no harm to humans nor allow harms to come to humans. How broad is the scope of "Harm" and given the Robot Rights Law isn't there a serious matter of difficulty in allowing robots to form unions?"

Doctor Wazu took a moment to adjust his glasses and removed his business coat. "You can all tell this is going to be a seat producer when I have to shed come clothing in this normally comfortable room."

There was some laughter as the Professor intended. His pull over sweater with its flame pink and white dotted design was a good meter to gauge the attention of his students. "My wife's idea. I'm glad not all of you are asleep." He removed the sweater and laid it on his podium.

"Let's see….Mister Kanzaki, would you be so kind as to read the dictionary definition of harm for us?"

A young man stood up holding a very thick dictionary. "Harm noun meaning

physical or mental injury or damage. moral evil or wrongdoing. Verb meaning to injure physically, morally, or mentally."

Wazu smiled. "Thank you. I'm pleasantly surprised that not all of you have abandoned the old traditions of working for your answers. Some day I'll do a study on caloric amounts burned via dictionary vrs using your XBOX 460."

The professor walked from his podium. "When Isaac Asimov wrote the founding three laws of robotics in his book "I Robot", someone answer please, what was his intent of the word "Harm"?"

A student raised her hand. "Physical. To injure, cause death or kill by action or inaction?"

Wazu waved a finger. "Correct. At first, defense of human life was the number one thought process when mankind considered and created the earliest forms of advanced artificial intelligence. There was no consideration of mental or moral forms of injury until the Fukuoka Robot Declaration of 2004 which expanded the terminology of harm to include non-physical forms of abuse and injury."

Wazu found a robot sitting in the front row. "For instance. This fellow here…"

"Ignacio Professor." The robot replied with a bow.

"Bless you." The professor replied, getting a chuckle back from the students. "Ignacio? This young lady next to you. If she did something that you considered an unwise idea, would you call her stupid?"

"No Professor."

"But that robot over there. If you knew him for….say….four years, would you use the slang of "stupid" on him if he were to make an error you concluded was far beyond what you process as normal?"

"Yes Professor."

"Where's the difference?" Wazu pressed. "Why won't you call what she did wrong "stupid" yet when your fellow robot does the same thing, you would call him "stupid"?"

Ignacio looked at the female student. "I don't know her for any length of time because you didn't specify that I had. Also, using "stupid" could cause her undue emotional discomfort."

"And if you knew….this student for 3 years, you've worked together, had good relations…would you be able to use "stupid" as a matter of jest?"

Ignacio nodded. "If I had reasoned through experience that he would not be emotionally distressed, yes."

Professor Wazu walked back to his podium. "What does this have to do with the first question? The formation of robots into unions, where can problems and conflicts result? Let's say robots at a company form a union. One day the robots have a grievance, let's say…maintenance compensation. Do you think the robots could strike? What if the company is dependant to where a robot strike could shut the company down? Let's see what views we get out of this. Anyone wish to comment?"

A student farther back stood up. "A strike would be a far reaching matter. It would cause financial and emotional stress beyond the work place."

"Of course." The professor replied. "The potential for loss of revenue, possible job losses elsewhere in the community. Now keep in mind, and no insult to our robot students, some robots are not as advanced as others so this concept of causing unseen harm elsewhere may not register or be part of the latest thought and ethics upgrades, or simply not there at all. Is there a way to mitigate this potential crisis?"

A robot stood up. "Through communication. By talking to and enlisting the humans who we work with to stand with us?"

"Precisely!" The professor said excitedly. "Through communication, positive action. When humans are informed with the accurate truth, 9 out of 10 times stress is diminished and the potential for emotional harm is eliminated…"

"…." The class alarm sounded out.

"Don't forget that your mid-term thesis is due next Tuesday! We will continue this discussion tomorrow!" The Professor exclaimed as he went to the podium to retrieve his things. Soon a crowd of robots and humans gathered around him for autographs of his latest law opinion book or to query him on other matters or just to give him the usual cheerful banter…

Much to the dismay of his robot secretary Fred. The orb-like robot, who had two prominent googly eyes and white gloved hands, was almost grabbing at the Professor's jacket as he stayed steep in conversation with a student. "Professor? Professor the faculty meeting is now 5 minutes past started, please you must attend."

"My dear Fred." The Professor scoffed. "I am sure that the halls of learning will not crumble into the ocean at my absence. My students are far more important don't you think?"

"Of course Sir but being a member of the governing body, your duties…"

"Is to my students and not to become a furnishing gathering useless body mass while sucking down some undeserving tenure. The future of law is here Fred, not sucking down coffee with prima dona faculty."

Morning

Ministry of Science

Data collection division

Astro looked like he was hooked up to some kind of torture rack. Strapped vertically against a recess in the wall, surrounded by multi-colored instruments, he was undergoing his weekly data dump exercise where his entire computer memory would be downloaded to a large processor, re-formatted, organized and returned. Though some memory data was retained such as the identities of friends, relations and life important memories, much of what Astro learned was put into a large storage drive, classified then retained as confidential matter or released to the various libraries and schools that requested Astro's assistance. When it was done he climbed down, removed the USB cables and went about life as usual.

Before he'd go off to help Reno though, and it was only 6am, life as usual meant cartoons. There he sat in one of the facility lounges, wrapped up in a snuggie, indulging in Cheereos and watching Bugs Bunny. The curiosity drew its usual fair of lab technicians and passer bys who smiled or chuckled at the strangeness. The world's most powerful robot paralyzed by "DUCK SEASON! BLAM!"

His giggling helped Reno track him down. "There you are. So how did it go yesterday with Tenma's brother?"

"I'm still here." Astro replied as he shoveled spoonfuls of Cheereos in his mouth. "He's going to see Doctor Tenma today, I promised him I'd be there."

Reno sat on the couch. "We also have work to do. You're the last on the list, if we don't find anything from that "body" I don't want to think what comes after that."

"The Towashi tornado?" Astro said smirking. "I'm not trying to make a joke of things."

"I'm thinking Skunk." Reno snorted. "If anyone could have it? He would."

Astro huffed. "He's back in prison where he belongs and his pals? They're history doesn't show much confidence. Nah…Skunk's out of it."

Reno stood up. "Well we can't be sure unless we get going huh?"

Astro frowned. "You're pulling me away just when Jaberwalky's coming on, you're cruel!"

"If I promise ice cream after we go through that place again would it sooth your shattered dreams?" Reno said as he wrapped an arm around Astro's shoulder.

"It'll help." Astro replied smiling.

Morning

Ministry of Science

Safety Division

Malla walked Shinsaku Ban, Doctor O'Shay, Inspector Towashi and another investigator from New Shinkuku's homicide branch through the holographic simulation of the Tsumitomo Iron Works explosion…

"Our investigation suggests a very precise laser shot at a 10 degree upward angle at a distance of 1 meter from the tank wall. The perpetrator was off the ground approximately 15 feet and at this location, their identity was cloaked within the blind spot of the three closest security cameras."

Shinsaku nodded his head. "Obviously he or they did their homework well. I'm inclined to recommend we start our investigation towards disgruntled employees, some one within the company itself, perhaps some sort of fraud excuse."

"Nonsense." Inspector Towashi growled. "The shot was fired in the air. Some sort of hit and run affair. Domestic terrorism, environmental anarchists…."

Towashi looked at O'Shay. "Among some other considerations."

"I might question you about these "considerations"." O'Shay said as he followed Towashi around the room. "You're thinking robots."

"Every time I bring that up O'Shay you have to be the first person to jump down my throat. As a law officer I have to delve into every possible motive in order to arrive at the conclusion even if it causes you a little emotional discomfort."

Towashi lit himself a cigar and tapped a foot for a moment. "Consider this Doctor. Knowledge of camera blind sites? To be able to get through this complex to that point and do that shot without being detected? For a human it would be normally impossible. Like I always say…please…please prove me wrong.?"

Towashi left O'Shay standing amid the holographic destruction around him. "Malla?"

The robot came floating up. "Yes Doctor?"

"I want you to begin an investigation of all the security cameras in the city limits that could in any manor possible capture an image of the subject or subjects who came into this facility up to 1 hour before the time of the explosion. Be quick about it please?"

Malla bowed. "Yes Sir. It may take two or three days at best."

Atlas's hide-a-way

Old Nissan Car Plant

East Shinjuku

Morning

Dear Brother,

We, the members of the National Building Maintenance Robot Union thank you deeply for the action you took on our behalf last week against Olympic Employment and their CE.O. Thanks to you we achieved positive benefits from our contract negotiations two days ago.

Atlas sat on the futon, stuffed animal under one arm and smiled pleasingly at the letter. They wanted to give him something other than the thick blanket he was wrapped in but Atlas couldn't, the money never mattered. They needed his courage, his "In your face and shove it human." style of negotiation. "Let's see Goody Boots top that!" He thought to himself as he poked his teddy bear and set it carefully to the side of his pillow.

Atlas got up and walked out onto the balcony of his hide out, actually the top of a fire escape more than a balcony, and leaned over the railing as the noises of a slowly wakening city began to grow about him. What to do today? Find some new complaint about humans to take offense to or go pick on Astro?

No. Atlas looked back at the stuffed animal and smiled. "Today? Chase fire trucks. A break for his favorite hobby. Maybe another patch or botton to add to his fire fighter collection? Atlas nodded in self approval and launched into the air for a flight around the city…barring some silly interruption by that comedy group old Towashi called a police department.

Doctor Tenma's Secret Lab

Mid-morning

A laser beam sliced a neat hole through a pile of debris and Astro wormed his way downwards in a tedious search, sweeping his head slowly left and right as his x-ray vision cut through the surrounding mess.

"Enjoying yourself?" Reno's voice cracked through his head.

"Oh sure. I like getting filthy…..AHHHHH!"

Reno gasped. "Hey! You allright?!"

Astro was sitting on concrete, rubbing his head as a reflex. "I'm at the bottom of the silo. Guess I can crawl around under most this mess." Astro said as he worked his way through the water and muck that had been collecting for a year. "You want to come down Reno? The water's just fine if you can avoid the oil, grease, rust and…" Astro lifted a hand and winced…"I don't want to know what that is!"

"No thanks." Reno replied. "I didn't bring my floaties."

Astro continued to crawl through the sludge until his hand touched a piece of mangled metal to his side. "Hey…looks like I found something." He pulled it up to his face and scanned over it…"It's a lower arm. It could be from the body."

"Could be or is?" Reno asked.

"Well…. It's got a little bulk to it so it must be the arm cannon. Don't forget this was an old robot smelting plant at one time before he turned it into a lab. It's possible some residual robot parts were lying about."

Reno sat rubbing his head. "Ok…bring it up and I'll look at it."

Once out of the silo, Astro sat watching intently as Reno took the charred arm apart. The sudden look of ease in his friends face made Astro smile…"It's an arm cannon isn't it?"

Reno nodded. "Oh yeah, and pretty advanced too. No, you can't have it."

"I didn't ask." Astro replied as he took it. "You should have seen it though Reno, ugly looking! No skin, no hair, armored all over the place and it looked like a teenager pumped on steroids!"

"Yeah…a few pimples and it would have looked normal." Reno smirked then took out a magic marker and popped a few dots on Astro's face!

"Hey! Cut it out!" Astro yelped.

"You actually look cool with freckles!" Reno said laughing as he pulled a mirror out of his toolbox. "Look…"

Astro gazed at the mirror and scratched his chin. "Hey…..they do look wild? Could you actually make me some?"

Reno huffed. "Can I burn water?"

West New Shinjuku

"CRASH!" Pick the garbage up again you stupid robot!" One teenager among a small group of club and wooden sword carrying humans snarled as he picked up another trashcan and knocked another robot off his feet into the side of a garbage truck. "I said pick it up! When we humans order you miserable tin bastards to do something, you better damn well do it!"

One of the robots pleaded with his arms up. "Sir, you don't have to resort to this trouble! We're doing nothing wrong, it's our job!"

Another human snarled. "Your job?" The man walked up and kicked the robot in the chest, knocking it onto it's back. "YOUR JOB?! THESE ARE HUMAN JOBS! Just like the jobs you filthy metal scumbags have been stealing from us humans for years. We're sick of you! And it's time we put you pieces of trash where you damn belong!"

The angry mob was about to take their rage out on the two trash bots when…

"HEY!" Came a scream from behind them. The mob turned around to see Atlas standing with his arms crossed. "You pieces of pig flesh got a little problem with my friends?"

One human started smacking a bat on his hand. "Yeah…like you're going to do something about it? Look guys, red skin and a yellow loin cloth. This little bot must think he's an Indian. Where's your war party chief?"

Atlas shook his head sarcastically. "How typical. You humans are such brainless idiots. I'll give you one chance to go on your merry little way before I make you wish you were never born."

Another human walked up with a pipe in his hand. "Do you get this little plastic "beep!" He's threatening us? Newsflash you little "beep!" you can't harm humans!"

Atlas enjoyed the laughter. "Oh yes…the three laws. I can't kill you, I can't take orders from a human to kill you and I can't allow you to be killed by my actions…"

Atlas then went stone faced. "No body said anything though about tar and feathers did they?" Atlas snapped his fingers and embarrassment rained from above!

A large hovering factory bot named Duwato cracked open the canister that was slung under his floating form and down rained a torrent of molasses and chicken feathers upon the unruly human gang!"

Atlas wave up to his friend. "Thanks Duwato!" and casually walked up to one of the humans, snatching him by his shirt and pulling him close to his face…

"Uh….is that van yours?" Atlas asked the suddenly shivering, goo covered mass of feathers.

"Ye…..yeah." The man replied.

Atlas aimed a finger at it and sent a laser beam into the gas tank! "KABOOM!"

"Ooops…looks like you're all walking home. I suggest you start running oh….NOW!" Atlas snarled as he fired laser shots at the feet of the mob and sent them on a run of humiliation down the street.

"GO! GO TELL THAT IDIOT TOWASHI I STOLE YOUR WALLETS OR SOME OTHER STUPID LIE YOU DUMB HUMAN PIECES OF PIG PILES!"

One of the trash bots shyly skittered up to Atlas and bowed. "Brother Atlas! We…we can't thank you enough!"

Atlas put his hands on his hips and snorted. "You can thank me by not groveling to these stupid flesh bags like victims. You don't have to harm them to make them stop their stupid ways. You just keep doing what your doing and stand up for yourselves."

Atlas took off, leaving the trash bots to pick up the mess caused by the mob.

Ministry of Science

Doctor O'Shay's office

Late morning

Doctor O'Shay looked over the arm brought back by Reno and Astro and nodded with relief. "Just as Tenma described. And you found no other remains?"

Astro shook his head. "Everything's pretty well trashed Doctor."

O'Shay tilted his head. "Astro? What's wrong with your face?"

"These?" Astro replied pointing to his cheek. "Freckles. I thought they looked cool so Reno added em to my pigment."

O'Shay chuckled. "Well you better tell Reno he's a little blind." He showed Astro a mirror and the robot boy jumped.

"I look like I got measles! I only said a few."

"Well….I didn't say the spotted process was that good. I can take em out, might take a week or so but…."

Astro threw his hands out and gave Reno a confused look. "Don't tell me I have to go out like this?"

Reno tried not to laugh and nodded his head. "Sorry."

Astro groaned. "I'm not happy with you right now. Just for this, no pizza for you on our Anime night Saturday."

"You're so mean." Reno replied sarcastically.

"And just for that I'm taking my XBOX and going home." Astro said as he turned around and military marched out of the office.

"You….can fix that pigment sooner right?" Doctor O'Shay asked Reno.

"Yeah….but I owe him one for a few of his practical jokes."

New Shinjuku Police HQ

Noon

Inspector Towashi was reviewing evidence from the Tsumetomo explosion when an officer peaked in. "Hey Inspector? You better come out and hear this."

Towashi could hear it already as the shouting could be heard through the whole building. As he walked into the main service desk lobby he saw a group of men covered in……..Tar and Feathers?

"I WANT YOU COPS TO DO WHAT WE PAY YOU FOR! ARREST THAT TINKER TOY TERRORIST ROBOT NOW!"

"He blew up our van! Isn't that right guys? He did this to us, blew up our van and fired lasers at us! I almost got my head shot off!"

Inspector Towashi was looking at a computer screen and nodded with a smirk as he walked from behind the counter…"Let me guess? Atlas right? Red skin, blonde hair, black boots?"

One angry teen shook his finger. "Damn right it was him! We could have been killed Inspector!" The man snatched another by his shirt. "Masayuma….almost had a heart attack…isn't that right?!"

"I have a heart condition you know, he could have tried to kill me!"

Towashi shook his head and pulled a pack of cigarettes from the man's shirt pocket. "This is what gave you the heart trouble. By the way…we got a phone call from the Shinjuku Public Works division? It seems one of their trucks got attacked by a mob of people…oh….about your size! Now I don't know the details…they were armed with clubs, beating up on the robots….now….that couldn't be you guys could it?"

The men suddenly stopped their complaining.

"I would hate to find out that three of you are members of the Keel movement because if this was a planned, premeditated attack I just might be inclined to send my officers out on a city wide raid, which would not be fun…..right?"

The men all agreed.

"I think being forced to run in public…as you men did….and getting your van blown up out of total brainlessness…is about as fair a punishment as you truly deserve. If I were one of you guys? I'd stick to my normal everyday job and confine my activism to the opinion pages and to the people you elect to serve your needs…"

"Am I clear?" Towashi asked with a snicker.

The men all agreed.

"Good. NOW GET THE HELL OUT OF MY STATION YOU IDIOTS!" Towashi chased and threw the trouble makers out.

An officer came up with a clip board in his hand. "Inspector? About these charges?"

Towashi looked the sheet over. "Site him for blowing up the van, illegal chemical fire….and making a mess of my station. He's worse than that other brat."

Early Afternoon

Shinjuku Engine Company 17

"Fighting Dragoons"

Back from a call, Timber was in the hose loft draining and flying hose links up the sides of the tower so they'd dry out.

"Pst!...." came a voice from behind. "Pst…Tim?"

Timber turned to see Atlas climbing through a window. "Why don't you use the front door and make it easier for me to get busted?"

Atlas stood rubbing his hair. "How's it been? That fire at Tsumitomo must have been work."

"Most exciting thing we've gotten in the last year." Timber said as he tied up another hose. "So what's up? I heard on the radio you tar and plastered a few of those Keel creeps."

"Yup. Just another victory for our kind. I dropped by to ask about the flame house."

Timber smiled. "I took you to see it last month remember?"

"No." Atlas said waving his hands. "I wanna try it out."

Tim shook his head. "I promised you I'd do it if I got a break. Do you know what it costs to run that building for a training session? I can't do an unauthorized run, I'd be busted flat."

Atlas grabbed a hand. "Oh come on Timber, I'm frying my circuits dreaming about it! It's one thing to chase you guys around the city and watch you fight fires but I wanna know what it's like!"

Atlas shrugged. "Ok look…I'll…kidnap you! Yeah…I kidnapped you and forced you to run the flame house for me. You can call Astro, the cops…tell em…."

Timber snorted. "Man you are a pain in the neck Atlas. I could take you through once and you won't have to "kidnap" me but if the cops come after you, you better deny I helped you."

Atlas nodded. "No problem! I'll owe you breakfast…a box of the best oil…uh…."

Timber patted Atlas's shoulder. "Don't worry. I'll come up with something you'll owe. Be there at 8pm, my shifts over and it'll be an hour after lock up when I can turn off the security cameras."

Shibuya Prison

Early afternoon

Astro and Takiuma sat in a waiting room together as they waited for the police escort to take them to Tenma. Takiuma noticed Astro's fidgeting and the spots all over his face.

"You're so nervous that you're breaking out." He said.

Astro felt his face. "Huh…I was trying to have some freckles."

Takiuma laughed. "The more I spend time with you, the more you act like Tobio, it's so uncanny. Have you ever done anything you later thought was foolish?"

Astro squirmed in his seat. "Yeah…one time I wanted to see how a fireworks rocket worked? So I took one up and lit it off. Doctor O'Shay was so upset, I came back covered in burnt gun powder."

Takiuma chuckled. "Tobio had come home from day camp one day, he was seven at the time. He learned how to make a camp fire so he and a friend went up into the woods behind his father's house and built a camp fire. Well it didn't go the way they hoped."

Astro smirked. "They set the woods on fire."

"A raging bonfire." Takiuma replied. "My brother raced home and the first indication of the culprits was two pairs of soot covered and melted rubber soled sneakers in the entry way. Well my brother goes up to the bathroom to find Tobio and his friend sitting in black colored water, soot all over their faces. He asked Tobio if he caused the fire and you know what Tobio said?"

Astro shook his head.

"I was trying to cook your dinner dad, didn't you see the burnt steak on the counter?"

Astro laughed. "Am I really close to Tobio? What did he like? I know he liked to draw but…I'm not that good. Did he like ice cream because I'm addicted to it."

Takiuma patted Astro's leg. "There's a lot of good things you inherited from him. He was very kind, he loved robots always talking about robots, wanted to be like his father some day and yet…"

Astro turned and frowned. "So distant. Doctor Tenma was so busy with work he never seemed to have time for Tobio."

Just then a police officer came into the room. "We'll give you both some time in the prison gardens, just don't forget the rules."

Takiuma nodded and he and Astro followed the policeman into the garden where Tenma sat wrapping and trimming a Bonsai. At first he and Takiuma didn't look at each other or say anything which brought Astro deep distress…

Until Takiuma broke the tension by walking up and wrapping his arms around Doctor Tenma's shoulders. "It's been too long." He said warmly.

Doctor Tenma returned the gesture and gave his brother a hug. A broad smile came over Astro's face. "I'm sure you'll both want to be alone so I'll just step out and wait."

Takiuma waited till Astro was gone. "The jacket Umataro? Ever think of being honest?"

"I did that because any other explanation would have disturbed him. After all our quarrel was a bit more vicious wasn't it?"

Takiuma took a seat. "I also decided to lie about Hoshi and how she died. Someday Astro should know the whole truth. Every time I look at him I see my Nephew…then I see Hoshi…then I get angry all over again!"

Takiuma stood up and threw his chair back. "I think back…all those years to when I warned you in college, warned you about pursuing military science as a career, warned you about how you were so obsessed with complying to the jingoistic bull being fed by the Ministry of Defense, that the Atom project could only produce weapons that would get out of our hands…"

Tenma banged the table. "Do you think I don't live every day, every night and every damn moment of my life not mourning for what I so foolishly took for granted?! But if it wasn't for military science how else could we have gotten the funding or the backing with enough muscle to enjoy our modern life? To have the advancements robots have had over the past 20 years?"

"Enjoy it?!" Takiuma snapped back. "What did you enjoy? You took her from me! You and your crazy experiments with weapons you had little control over!"

Takiuma threw the chair aside and snarled. "You haven't changed Umataro, not one damned bit. You were soulless when Hoshi died, you were never better when my Nephew was killed. I hope for the sake of humanity they never let you out of this prison. It damn well suits you."

Takiuma walked out, he passed Astro in a hallway and stormed out with him close behind. "Takiuma? Wait!" Astro called as Takiuma slipped into his car. "Takiuma please, tell me what happened?!"

The car raced out of the parking lot leaving Astro shaking his head in dismay.

Ministry of Science

Division of Safety

Early Afternoon.

Amako and Malla sat looking at recording after recording of security camera footage from around the Tsumitomo Iron Works. "My eyes are getting tired Malla, four hours and nothing. At least nothing suspicious enough."

Malla stopped one tape and tapped the monitor. "On this one mistress there is something. The problem is this is a very primitive surveillance camera, It's mounted over a pawn shop on Sedaiku Street. It's frame rate is very poor so if an object crossed it with sufficient speed, we wouldn't catch more than an unfocused blur."

Amako looked at the monitor and ran her finger over the phantom like image. "Perhaps it didn't account for all the cameras after all."

Malla nodded. "The problem is Mistress, we won't be able to obtain an accurate description based on this. At best I could approximate size and profile shape but nothing more."

Amako nodded. "Get to it. Do your best. I'll call Doctor O'Shay."

Doctor O'Shay's Office

Astro sat holding his head with his hands and sulking sadly. "I thought it would come out ok. Then Mister Takiuma stormed out Doctor, I mean he was irate, he wouldn't talk to me."

"Sigh…I warned you it would be a dicey thing to do Astro. You can't expect years of bad blood between siblings to just melt away in a single visit."

"I just…I just wanted Doctor Tenma to get better. I don't want him spending the rest of his life in a prison cell Doctor, I feel like I owe him." Astro stood up and walked about rubbing his arms. "Am I crazy? You think I'm talking nonsense Doctor?"

O'Shay patted Astro's shoulders. "Showing love for someone isn't nonsense Astro. I just don't want your experience to feel like you're smashing yourself into a brick wall."

Astro tilted his head. "Now why would I smash myself into a brick wall?"

"It's just a figure of speech Astro." O'Shay replied as he reached into his pants pocket to grab his humming cell phone.

"O'Shay here….You have something but you can't make it out?.....Yes he's here with me now….we'll be right down." "Click" "That's was Amako in the Safety Department, she says they found an image on a security camera tape and they can't make it out. They'd like to have you look at it."

Astro nodded. "I'm on my way."

Japan Self Defense Force

Ministry Headquarters, Tokyo

Early afternoon

The Lieutenant didn't know what struck her when she walked into the message storage room. A flash of light, the feeling of two needles in her throat and the woman was thrown off her feet by a surge of electrical energy.

The object continued to do its intended task. Multiple cable arms snapped open locked draws, pulled files and drew them to the object's photographic eye where it processed file after file into its inner storage.

Taking one last look to see if it had missed anything important, the object flew up into the overhead room vent and out through the roof shaft.

Pedals in Motion

Girl's Dance studio

New Shinjuku

Zoran was third in a line of seven young girls in brightly colored kimonos performing a slow Bon dance across the floor under the watchful eye of their teacher Miss Onihara.

"Yes…now slowly dip…very good! Very good!" She praised as Zoran slowly moved to the middle of the circle and fanned herself softly as she lowered herself with the others following her till they were all seated on the floor making slow bows to the invisible audience before them.

Miss Onihara clapped approvingly. "Simply splendid girls! With the way you've worked so hard this last month I can't see us being overlooked to perform at his majesty's birthday celebration next month, I am so excited for all of you!"

As they broke from class, Zoran and her friends Nani and Chichi ran across the street to a two story amusement game house and giggled excitedly at the stuffed animal prizes hanging over a Nintendo Dance Revolution game.

"So what is it this time?" Zoran asked as she pointed. "I like the giraffe."

"Uh uh!" Nani said as she pointed to another. "The Kimba one!"

Nani frowned. "Why don't we just go to the Sotetsu and buy one for Miss Onihara?"

Zoran smiled and cracked her fingers. "Because I'm feeling lucky! Today I'm gonna break my own record again, at least that's something I can do that my showy brother can't!"

Chichi smirked. "You suffer from Astro envy…then again who doesn't?"

Zoran jumped onto the dance platform and pursed her lips. "You got a fire extinguisher handy? My friction just might melt this plastic." She said as she tapped her foot. Nani selected the song, "Rockin Robin" by the Jackson 5 and off Zoran went, her feet and legs flying through the arrows that she might just tangle herself into a pretzel by mistake!

"This is fast?" Zoran asked. She wasn't even looking at the pad and still she was hitting the arrows. "Look! With my eyes closed!"

Chichi smirked. "Now you're just showing off!"

Zoran had a crowd going after two more songs. She was in the middle of a Michael Jackson song when an ear exploding shrill suddenly caused people and robots alike in the building to fall to the floor trying to cover their ears!

The noise penetrated walls, car bodies, subways, nothing wasn't affected. A car smashed through the front window of the game center, a robot tumbled off the second floor balcony and smashed into the cash counter below as screaming people stampeded to get out the front door.

Zoran stood up, snatched Chichi and Nani by their shirts and led them out. "What! What is that?! My ears!" Nani screamed.

Zoran pushed the two girls into an ally way and behind a dumpster. "Stay here!" She felt like her whole head was going to fry, the noise so threatening and violent that she could hardly see. Suddenly out of the corner of her eye Zoran saw a little girl walking blindly into the street with an out of control bento truck screaming down on her!

Zoran ran as fast as she could, the full impact of the noise blinding her as she caught the child in her arms and dove for the street. The bento truck ran over them and skidded out of control into a light pole.

The noise stopped, leaving behind a disaster.

Ministry of Science

Division of Safety

Astro sat silently, his eyelids twitching every so often as he analyzed the single cell frame from the pawn shop security video. After some time he opened his eyes, pulled out a USB cable from his chest cover and plugged up to Malla's lap top…

"This is the best I could do." He said as he uploaded his "sketch" into Malla's Corel Draw program. "It's a sphere of some kind but I couldn't make out anything else."

Amako knelt down next to Astro. "I was hoping you could clean it up better. It's not much to go on even though the clock on the camera says this thing passed by 5 minutes before the first explosion."

Astro shrugged. "I may be advanced but I get "D's" in art class at school. That's really the best I can come up with."

Malla interrupted them. "I have just received a police transmission from the Daisu District here in Shinjuku. A powerful sound of unknown origin has caused extensive injuries and damage within a 1 mile radius."

Astro got out of his seat. "Doctor O'Shay?" He said. "Did you hear about this mess in Daisu district?"

The Doctor replied. "Yes. I'm watching the news now. Zoran called me just a few minutes ago, she's very upset. She was right in the middle of it."

Astro patted Amako's shoulder. "It's my sister, I gotta go home."

"I'll be going down to Daisu in a few minutes so if you go out there Astro, hook up with me?"

"Ok." Astro replied as he ran out of the building and flew into the air.

Daisu District, Shinjuku

4pm

Delta stood interviewing a few gathered robots as other police and firemen raced about to clear the mess of sparking power lines, flaming cars and loose debris caused by the insanity two hours ago.

"Yes, just out of no where came this maddening noise! One minute I'm driving home, the next my cars in that fountain…ugh…I haven't even paid for it yet!"

Delta asked. "What is your occupation?"

"Crash test dummy." The robot replied.

"Hmmm…explains the way you got the car to balance on its end. Impressive." Delta said as he wrote on his computer clip board. "Could you identify a source?"

"Not likely. I was too busy screaming my brains out. Most of us were going screwy you know."

Delta was looking around the street when a glint of refracted light caught his eyes from above. It was enough to get his interest so he excused himself and flew up to the roof. He landed not far from a curious Atlas boy as he was watching the commotion below on the street.

"Ah hem! Mind explaining yourself?" Delta asked.

Atlas shook a little then turned his head. "I'm just watching the firefighters down there. What happened? Who made this mess?"

Delta crossed his arms. "I find it a little curious that you're up here…given your record. May I remind you Atlas that you're wanted for vandalism, tagging, hate crimes, malicious mischief…"

Atlas snorted. "Spare me your laundry list. And don't even get an idea that I did anything because I didn't!"

"I wasn't suggesting you did. However your presence and your reputation may bring up some questions. I think it would be wise for you to come with me."

Atlas stomped a foot. "Oh you do?! Well how about I say…no. Go direct traffic or find some idiot human robbing a bank or something more worth your time."

Delta stomped forwards. "Do not be an obstinate brat Atlas! I'm warning you right now to come with me before…"

Atlas suddenly exploded off the roof!

"Grrrrrr…..GET BACK HERE ATALS!" Delta snarled as he went airborne as several police officers watched from below. One of them jumped into his hover cruiser and hit the radio switch…

"Adam 17 in assist pursuit! Officer Delta in pursuit of Atlas from the Daisu District! Request back up!"

Doctor O'Shay's house

Late afternoon

Astro came running through the front door and caught Norra the family nanny bot in the living room. "Oh Astro, she's so upset."

"Is she alright?" He asked worried as he climbed up the stairs.

"She got scratched up saving a little girl from getting run over, I think it's her dress that has her more upset, it got torn up."

Astro walked into Zoran's room and hugged her as she held her dress. "Oh big brother! "Sob" it was terrible…."sob" it's ruined!"

Astro rubbed Zoran's face and smiled. "You can always replace a dress Zoran. What happened?"

"This noise came out of no where…"sob"…it was so loud and….everything just went crazy…"

Astro hugged his sister tightly. "At least you're ok…saved somebody too? You're getting good at the hero stuff Sis! I might be able to get a vacation after all!"

"If I'm getting as good as you, I might regret it."

Suddenly a voice came into Astro's head. "Astro! Atlas is running from the police towards Chibigasu, they need your help!"

"Huh? Why's he running?" Astro replied.

Doctor O'Shay replied. "Delta caught him watching the mess in the Daisu District and he bolted."

Astro snorted. "Oh that was brilliant. I'm on my way!" He ran out of Zorans room, out the front door and was sky bound trailing a long afterburning flame behind him. "Where is he now Doctor?"

"He's flying low enough to knock people's heads off. Just flying out of a covered Ginza in Magasume 3 miles north of you!"

Astro used his magnifying eyes and saw Atlas going vertical with Delta right behind him and a fleet of hover cruisers flying below…

"Delta?! This is Astro! Let me handle Atlas?!"

Astro quickly closed the distance and was soon on Delta's left tapping him off the head. "Let me talk to him?!"

Delta snorted back. "He'll probably get away!"

"Ugh! And your chasing him around is making things worse!" Astro complained. "Back off!"

Delta pointed his finger sternly. "You're responsible if he doesn't stop!"

Astro put on an extra burst of speed and closed behind Atlas. "Atlas! Stop running!"

"I didn't do anything!" Atlas snarled back.

"You idiot!" Astro snapped. "You took off from a crime scene in front of a police officer! Grrr….sometimes you can be so dumb I wonder how you could be a robot!"

Atlas snarled back. "I didn't do anything! How many times do I have to say it! You think I'd lie?!"

Astro shook his head and reached out to snag a boot. "Cut it out! I'll back you up! We can go see a judge right now and you won't get in trouble now come on and stop being a stubborn creep!"

Atlas whipped around suddenly, caught Astro by his leg, whipped him around like a top and sent him crashing through a window. "You can forget about the judge! I'm not going to be judged by a bunch of humans for standing against their stupidity!"

Astro was climbing out when Atlas rammed into him and sent him flying through an apartment and into a bathroom where he came face to face with a terrified woman taking a bath!

Atlas stood laughing himself silly as Astro tripped and fell to escape the flying soap bar, the flying backscratcher and the shampoo bottle that broke all over his head!

"My you smell nice for a human's dog….OOF!" Astro caught Atlas in the stomach, flew him out of the apartment and slammed him into the street below.

"Now! Cut this stupid messing around and grow up!" Astro snarled as he head locked Atlas. But the red boy bot reversed the hold, snatched Astro off his feet, slammed him into a trashcan, welded the lid shut and threw it into a nearby wall!

"Look who needs to grow up!" Atlas screamed as he stood over the trash can. "Better luck next time puppy dog!" He flew off leaving Astro dizzily crawling up to Delta's feet as the police bot landed.

"I was right wasn't I?" He said as Astro pulled himself up. The boy bot stared dizzily at Delta's face "beep!" he noised before he fell backwards onto the street.

Office of the K.E.H.L.

Tokyo

Late afternoon

"180 DB. That's what the cops are saying." William Hill said to Zenzo as they watched the news together from Shinjuku. "It was quite a good jolt, made the robots go nuts."

Zenzo smiled. "The span was a little wide though. If we could make one that would reduce the cone down to a pinpoint beam? I also didn't like how it got so many humans hurt. Right concept, lousy results."

Hill waved the paper in his hands. "Do you want me to give this to Shiro and see what he can cook up with it?"

Zenzo smiled. "Any good idea can use improvements can't it?"

SDF Airbase

Atsugi, Japan

Late afternoon

He didn't stand out against the other groupies clustered along the Senkaku rail line that linked Sagami-station with the Yamato cross link down the tracks. They gathered here all the time, 20 to 30 flight jacket clad fanatics looking for the best photo shots of fighter jets flying overhead towards the Atsugi runway. Like most of them he had an extra large telephoto lens attached to his digital camera but unlike the others this one had excellent super zoom optics that captured greater details like….

The passing security cars.

The fence lines.

The security gates.

The fuel tank farm.

Flight line security.

Layout of the squadrons.

Police Headquarters

New Shinjuku

Astro sat kicking his feet while Inspector Towashi groaned over another phone call on the Daisu incident. "Yes he tried, "tried" being the usual excuse. Well I think he's embarrassed but you know robots, like that would matter."

Towashi hung the phone up. "That was the mayor. He's a little upset for obvious reasons."

Astro looked up. "I was trying to stop the dumb chase. Atlas just…"

"Just handed you a butt kicking again?" Towashi said sarcastically. "If I wasn't a betting man I'd say you were doing "Bud Light" with him. Perhaps we should order you to bring him in with all force required then we'll see some results."

Astro brooded. "Maybe what you need inspector is a little patience? Atlas wouldn't have done anything like what happened today, it's just not in his programming no matter how much he hates humans. He was telling the truth."

Towashi snorted. "Then why did he bolt?"

"He does a lot of dumb things." Astro replied. "But chasing him around didn't solve anything did it? If you leave me alone to reason with him it'll be less messy."

Towashi waved his hand. "Well unfortunately you're not the Commissioner or the mayor so you don't make the important decisions. We're going to find him and haul his butt into a jail cell with or without your help. Now get out of here before you stink up my office further?"

Astro got up, kicked a foot and walked out. He met up with his school mates Abercrombie, Tamao and Kenichi as they were waiting for him outside the headquarters.

"So how did it go?" Crombie said frowning. "Did old worm puss give you the 3rd degree?"

"Feels like the 4th one." Astro replied frowning.

Tamao snorted. "That Atlas! He's a punk. You should really fight him Astro! Unload a can of beat beans on him and bring him in on a wheel barrel!"

"Yeah…" Astro replied. "And half the robots in Shinjuku will call me a traitor or something worse. I'm caught between stopping Atlas for some of his stupid stunts and actually applauding some of the things he's done. It's not easy having to balance things around here."

Kenichi smiled. "Well when things are so complicated there's only one thing to do."

Tamao nodded. "Pizza!"

Crombie butted Astro's side. "Shaky's slice fest?"

Astro breathed a big sigh of resignation. "Yup…triple cheese, double crust, stomach burning, super sized pepperoni fest."

Kenichi held his nose. "But first? You stink."

Daisu District, Shinjuku

Early evening

Amako and Malla walked through the now much cleaner streets trying to gather whatever evidence they could find. There were 13 security cameras and not one caught a single shot of a potential culprit, at least any they could obviously see.

Of the four robots they had an interest in because of how they stood, where they stood or how they acted, their explanations were all reasonable and the damage patterns shown by busted and flying glass from the sound resonance didn't match their locations.

Malla pointed to one light pole's shattered glass globe and drew a line with her finger up over her head. "Our suspect was in the air again judging by this glass pattern at my feet. I would estimate the distance from the ground about 70 feet or so."

Amako played with her lips and studiously re-read the police report. "I'm beginning to suspect a tie-in with the Tsumitomo incident. Same M.O., avoid the security cameras and strike from a blind spot. Question becomes….who?"

Malla postulated. "The police were chasing Atlas….perhaps?"

"I'm not too sure of that." Amako replied. "If Astro doesn't think Atlas could do it then I feel safe he's right. Let's keep looking though."

Doctor O'Shay's house

Early evening

Astro came down the stairs dressed in his blue button shirt, thick black Levis and sneakers and stopped to check the news out on television before going out the door. He shook his head at the picture of him crawling out of a trash can, those news station UAV's with their high resolution cameras kept the televisions filled with his not so happy moments…made him think using a CNN Predator drone as Origami paper would give him points with recycle happy humans.

He opened the front door to find Takiuma standing before him and his friends farther back.

"Before you go, I was hoping you and I would talk." Takiuma said as if he was worn out.

Astro allowed him inside. "Can you guys go ahead? I'll see you there." He closed the door and followed Takiuma into the living room.

"You look exhausted." Astro said as he walked into the kitchen and brought back a bottle of water. "The Doctor has some beer if you want some?"

Takiuma waved a hand. "I came to apologize for my rude treatment of you this morning. It wasn't right."

Astro smiled. "I was told not to expect a happy result the first time you two got to see each other. It's my fault."

"Don't fall on the sword." Takiuma said smiling. "You did a nice thing Astro, just that there's no avoiding the unpleasant. I should have told you the truth sooner about Hoshi's death."

Astro squirmed in his chair. "It wasn't the flu?"

"No." Takiuma sighed. "But it is sort of connected to your history. You see I knew all about the Atom Weapons Project because at that time I was assisting my brother in his work."

Flashback

10 years earlier

"Back then…the Ministry of Science was receiving government grants for duel-purpose research projects. The Atom Project was just as I told you, a robot capable of delivering a 10 kiloton nuclear warhead to cripple any nation's suspected first strike capability. At that time we were worried about the North Korean nuclear threat."

"My brother and I argued as the project went along. The military wanted a robot that would adhere to orders while myself and Doctor O'Shay argued for a robot with advanced conscience, one that would be capable of reason, that could be stopped or called back when the need for its mission would become muddled or not needed. The brass of course were not keen for a warhead with a "pacifist mental attitude"

"By that time we had also stumbled upon a revolutionary power source, a simple accidental discovery that created both a stable fusion isotope and an unstable fission isotope. The fission one had the advantage of greater power output even though regulating it at the time proved to be problematic."

"My brother thought he had worked out all the problems by the time he presented the first proto type model to the defense ministry. I continued to protest, I even went to Hoshi and spoke to her for hours about my concerns and she promised she'd talk to him."

"Then came the night before the first field test. She was with him that night, he was putting the final touches on the design. Things went rapidly out of control…"

Takiuma went silent for a moment. "We all got out…except for Hoshi. The safety door came down…broke my hand when I tried to stop it…the proto type detonated inside the room, the reactor failed…"

Present

Astro sat with his head down…" What happened to the original plans?"

Takiuma shook his head. "I would have hoped he got rid of them after the accident. But since you…well I guess he retained them, just removed the military components."

Astro saw the tears in Takiuma's eyes and slowly shuffled up to him on the couch and put a hand on his back. "I know this is hard…well…I'm only saying it from what I know but at some point you both have to face this thing and find forgiveness. It's eating you up, it's not healthy at all."

Takiuma snorted. "Robot sense with no emotion behind it."

Astro stood up. "It's age old human sense we robots understand!" Astro said as he stood before Takiuma. "I could no more throw my sister in the trash than you two could afford to hate each other forever, what good does that serve? It just builds more hate on top of pain."

Astro reached his hands out. "Try again? Doctor Tenma needs you, he needs family, try again….please?"

Takiuma paused then nodded. "I admire your persistence…though it may not produce anything to your wishes."

Astro smiled a little. "I'm a stubborn brat and a few choice swear words by most people. But I think Mrs. Hoshi would probably be furious if you refused to try."

Takiuma stood up and nodded. "I will…try again. Just because you think it's right. But do me one favor?"

Astro replied. "Anything."

"Talk to Doctor O'Shay and ask him if you could look through the ministry achieves for the original Atom Project blueprints. Make sure they're where they should be and if they still exist? Destroy them."

Astro nodded then walked out behind Takiuma.

Evening

New Shinjuku fire training house

Atlas sat wondering if Timber would even show up. He wouldn't doubt it since the televisions plastered the stupid chase everywhere it could. "Bonehead" He called himself. "Maybe Astro was right?" It was stupid, then again knowing the humans Atlas could have been blamed for a toilet backing up ten years ago and it would have made sense.

He stood up to leave when a beam of light hit his eyes. "You're here." Timber said as he dropped his fire coat on the ground and walked over to the equipment shed.

"I didn't think you'd come." Atlas said.

"Yeah right." Timber snorted. "Don't mind me adding "dumb ass" to your list of insults. What possessed you to run? I was right on the street below, I would have vouched for you easy."

Atlas shrugged. "Spur of the moment thinking. When you got a ten foot robot cop coming at you with these car crusher arms, you don't have much time to reason things out."

Timber smirked. "You threw Astro into a trash can."

"I told puss and boots to back off! Not my fault he was being stupid!" Atlas moaned as Timber dropped a pile of firefighter clothing over his head.

"Suit up. I'm only doing a short 15 minute run then I have to go back to the station house. I really should turn you in."

Atlas dawned a pair of thick boots, the baggy pants with suspenders and the heavy fire coat. "You know I didn't do anything. Besides do you think I'd get a fair hearing anyway?"

As Atlas adjusted the coat straps, Timber threw a scuba tank over his back and handed him a mask. "You'll need this."

Atlas smirked. "Are you kidding? I don't need fresh air."

"It's not the air that's the point." Timber said. "The glass shield on the mask gives you 90 seconds to run. In all this gear you're gonna find moving around a real pain in the butt."

Atlas frowned. "It fogs up. I can't see anything."

Timber snorted. "You ever wonder what it's like to eat fire? If a human sucked flames down his windpipe? "finger snap" dead in seconds, his insides get roasted like a turkey. Now a robot takes flames down his intakes? Crackle, spark and fizzle…you'll lose control, power and mobility. Lights out Charlie!"

Timber pushed the mask into Atlas's chest. "Wear it. I'm not dragging your malfunctioning fat carcass through an inferno."

Atlas frowned. "I'm not fat! I'm mechanically proportioned."

Timber turned him about and pushed him into the house. "Go!"

Both bots stood in the center of a room dressed out in full fireman's gear with Timber twirling a remote in his gloved hand. "See this? It starts with the atomizers spraying fuel through the air. Then this little red button lights a spark and BOOSH! Instant inferno!"

Timber snatched up a hose nozzle off the floor. "Now this hose when fully charged will kick you like a pee'd off mule that got kicked in the peanuts. If you're not careful the pressure kick is going to kick your butt all over the room."

Atlas smiled. "No problem…I'm not a wuss. This should be fun."

Timber smirked and got behind Atlas before slowly backing away from him. "Tell me when you're ready." A click of the remote and clouds of atomized fuel oil began to fill the air in the room.

Atlas snarled, clicked the bail handle on the nozzle and dug in his feet. "Bring it on!"

A click of the red button and it was as if someone left the door of a furnace open! The whole room exploded in flames at the same time Atlas threw open the nozzle handle!

And as Timber expected, the hose kicked up and knocked Atlas on his butt where he sat screaming as the wild hose slapped him off the side of the head!

"GET CONTROL OF IT!" Timber yelled.

"OW! OW! OW! DAMN IT!" Atlas screamed as he fought to get a grip and hold onto the nozzle. "THANKS FOR HELPING ME OUT!"

Timber ran up and steadied Atlas on his feet. "What happened to the non-Wussy?"

"You suck!" Atlas snapped as he quickly threw the hose skyward to cut down a sheet of flame rolling over his head. "My arms are already straining!"

"I told you it's a tough hose." Timber said as he pushed from behind. "Now walk and swing that thing before we get trapped in here!"

Atlas swung the hose and skittered from side to side, his gyroscopic balancer wasn't helping him at all as he haphazardly fumbled and fell in the smoke filled room.

"White's good right? If we get white smoke it means it's almost out?" Atlas asked as he sprayed the hose into a side room.

"You think so?" Timber replied as he smirked evilly. "Guess again!"

Another click and the whole room lit up again in a storm of flames behind the two robots. "You wanted 15 minutes of work? You got what you asked for!"

Atlas groaned. "Oh you suck!" As he fumbled again to stop the flames from creeping up on him.

Shaky's Pizza

Shinjuku Ginza

9pm

Astro held a gooey mess in his hands and dangled the sloppy mix of cheese, pepperoni and a dozen other toppings over his mouth, allowing it all to dribble in. "Best part about all this? I can't get fat."

"Except in your head." Abercrombie replied as he chewed on a bread stick. "You can't digest all that can you?"

Astro shook his head. "I have a trash bag in my butt."

"Oh that was a good thing to say when we're eating." Timao said smirking. "Did Atlas really pack you into a trash can?"

Astro winced. "It's not like I asked for a Disney E ticket. Yeah he did."

Kenichi leaned back in his seat and pointed a pizza slice at Astro. "There's rumors he caused the Daisu Disaster and that the police want him arrested."

"The only thing he caused was a lot of mischief." Astro replied. "Atlas wouldn't do that if it would have caused any harm."

"Well I don't like him." Abercrombie snorted. "He's teaching robots to hate our guts."

Astro grabbed another slice. "He's no different than the "keel" believers who teach humans to hate robots. The best weapon against that is to keep things like this going. Who can argue over pizza?"

Abercrombie looked at Timao and rubbed his hat into his scalp. "I can find plenty of good reasons since egg head here took the biggest slice for himself!" Abercrombie launched out of his chair, tackled Timao off his and fought on the floor for the slice while Astro and Ken laughed…

"So…you coming back to school tomorrow?" Ken asked Astro. "Miss Myoki's pine'ing for you."

"Cut it out!" Astro said waving his hands.

"She misses your metallic gleam…your soft brown eyes….the hum of your motor…"

Astro stood up. "Ken? Don't make me hang you by a wedgie."

Ken kissed the air. "My adorable Astro bon bon…."

Timao came up off the floor giggling. "So when are you gonna ask her on a date?"

"Will you guys shut up?!" Astro said as he started to blush.

Abercrombie snickered. "He's hunting for a ring."

Astro shook and shouted. "There's nothing going on between me and Miss Myoki!" He stopped and slapped his hands over his mouth as the restaurant got quiet. "Thanks a lot for the humiliation you guys."

New Shinjuku fire training house

10pm

Atlas pulled the fire coat off, kicked the thick soot covered pants off his legs and flopped flat on the still warm roof of the flame house. He was exhausted, pleasingly, happily exhausted. "I've got nothing left." He said as he rolled over on his belly and looked up at Timber who was sitting next to him. "That….was super awesome."

Timber nodded. "You actually did very good once you got control of that hose. If you ask me you're being a little stupid."

"Hey!" Atlas frowned.

"Admit it! You like firemen, you idolize them, you got tons of talent, join the academy you stupid dunce."

Atlas rolled onto his butt and tried to sit up but he laid back down from the power drain. "I'd like too…maybe after I feel I've done enough…"

Timber snorted back. "Excuses…dumb excuses. I told Astro the same thing.."

"Beh! Brain the clouds fool." Atlas snorted.

"He's probably the best friend you'll ever have." Timber said pointing a finger into Atlas's nose. "He knows what you're capable of, you just won't accept it because you're infected with this macho robot crosswire short circuit syndrome."

Atlas shook his head. "I'm not going to be reduced to a teddy bear like dufus who tip toes around being pawed and touched like some stupid cell phone stuffy."

Timber snickered. "But you sleep with a stuffie."

Atlas snarled. "You tell anybody and I'll crush you."

They both laughed till Timber caught a glint of light out of the corner of his eye. He turned his head to see something pulsing off in the distance…

"Hey." He said as he kicked Atlas's boot. "Look at that."

Atlas smirked. "Just a tower light."

"You sure? It's kind of moving."

Atlas pushed himself up. "Big deal. You got good optics, focus on it. I'm tired."

Just then…a brilliant flash and a loud boom washed over the city. It was the last thing Timber saw as he toppled over onto Atlas.

In New Shinjuku the lights went out, the phones went dead, the cars, buses, trains, computers, radios, televisions, traffic lights, robots, watches, cell phones, everything with an electrical circuit died.

Robots failed. Flying service bots came crashing down onto the streets below, catching pedestrians unprotected. Elevators stalled, hospital machines quit, generators didn't trip, emergency lights didn't work, simple compasses spun aimlessly in all directions…

Astro was carrying another pizza to the table when he fell over into the salad bar and crashed to the floor.

Then came the panic.

"What the?" Timao said as he climbed off of Abercrombie. "What's going on?"

Abercrombie ran for the front door and pushed himself against the jam to avoid being trampled. "Everything's out! All the lights, the cars, my watch is dead!"

"Hey crombie give me a hand!" Ken cried as he pulled Astro off the floor. "He's not working…"

Crombie ran up and helped Ken place Astro on a table. "Oh man…well…give him CPR or something."

Ken smirked. "CPR? What planet are you on lunkhead?"

Timao looked Astro over then looked at other robots. "They're all out, I mean like no power at all out!"

Tokai Airlines Flight 37

32,000 feet above New Shinjuku

"Tokyo control! Tokyo control this is Tokai 37 declaring in flight emergency! We have no power! We've lost all engine power! Limited control!"

The pilot looked to his co-pilot. "Try again!"

"No response from the emergency generators! Emergency RAM turbine isn't responding! We're losing hydraulic pressure!"

The 737 seemed to hang on air current alone, a terrifying shuttering stop in mid-air and then the total loss of momentum…

"This is Tokai 37! We're going down! Declaring emergency! For God sakes help us!"

The co-pilot screamed. "I have no control! Passing 30……passing 27……passing 24…"

Shaky's Pizza

New Shinjuku

It was as if a switch suddenly flipped. Astro pushed himself off the table, knocked over Abercrombie and Timao and bolted out the front door and into the sky.

Timao sat dazed as Abercrombie slapped him. "See! I told you CPR works!"

Astro could see the 737 tumbling and twisting as it screamed closer and closer to him, at the last second he grazed past it, flipped in the air and dove after it.

"20!.........15!........" The Co-pilot kept calling out the nightmarish numbers spinning through his altimeter until the plan passed 5 thousand feet, then came a sudden chest hurting jolt as his body was thrown forwards in his seat restraints. "My God! We're starting to slow down!"

Astro was wrapped around the front side of the plane's left elevator on the tail, struggling to keep his grip on the smooth aluminum surface while craning his head around to look for a spot to set the jet down. He saw some large nets strung around a golf driving range and aimed the plane at it At the last second he cranked the tail downwards, stalled the jet to a dead stop and belly flopped it into the netting where it bent and broke the support poles like a giant baseball mit.

"And…..you're out of there!" He joked as he flew up to the cockpit and waved to the pilots. "Everybody alright?" He waved to the thumbs up and flew off over the darkened city. Along the way he could hear the screaming, the crying, the scared sounds of people, pets, babies, kids but he couldn't do much of anything with everyone still sitting in the dark.

New Shinjuku Power Company

Magnamite Division

11pm

Mister Shinsengumi, the night shift manager, was running from robot to robot in his control room when Astro flew in through the building sky light and landed on the main floor below. "Hey! Is everything out in here too?"

"Astro?" Shinsengumi asked as he jumped onto a ladder and climbed down. "Are you the only working robot?"

Astro stood with his hands on his hips. "Seems I'm the only working anything right now. We have to get Magnamite up and running again."

"I've tried everything! I haven't got the back up power to give him a kick start."

Astro walked around Magnamite using his x-ray vision till he found a panel above his head. "That's the Automatic Power Unit right?"

"Yes." Shinsengumi nodded as he watched Astro look around the room.

"Take that panel off?"

"What are you going to do?" Shinsengumi asked as he pulled out a screw driver and started pulling the panel.

Astro found a bundle of wires stuffed under a set of stairs and started looking them over. "You ever jump started an old car?" He said as he gave Shinsengumi one end of a cable. "Just call me a battery."

When Shinsengumi finished hooking the wire to the small jet engine inside the panel space, Astro pushed him back. "It might get a little crazy for a second."

Shinsengumi heard Astro's power plant run up then winced from the sudden burst of blue current that raced along the cable and caused Magnamite's APU to fire up! The big robot hummed back to life as Astro threw the cable over his shoulder.

"Ta dah!" "Pat pat pat" "There you go Magnamite!"

Shinsengumi sighed in relief. " At least we'll have some essential power for now. How come you're still walking around?"

Astro opened his chest door and popped out a small battery casing. "Back up cell. It's hardened against EMP. That's what we just got hit with."

"EMP? Any idea from what? Where?"

Astro stood for a moment scowling. "Right now I don't have a clue. But that's for the police to figure out. There's a whole lot of people in need of some help, that's my concern."

Astro took off out of the power station and out over the waterfront where a solitary figure stood holding a small radio in his hand…

"It didn't phase him."

"Are you sure?"

"He just flew over my head."

"Hmmmm….more redundant than I thought. Keep watching him."

"Understood."

Next Morning

City Hall, New Shinjuku

Note: The character of the Mayor is played by Roger Ranger from Kimba.

Mayor Hiroshi Roji came out into the front rotunda of the city hall to meet with the gathered media. Behind him was Inspector Towashi, Commisioner Daitomo, Fire Captain Watabe and General Red, the vice chief of the Japanese SDF.

"Good morning." Roji began as he signaled the huddled press reporters to quiet down. "As you are aware, last night an apparatus of unknown origin delivered a powerful Electromagnetic Pulse over central New Shinjuku. Its effects are still being dealt with at this time. While we have restored some basic services and life critical city functions, we are still dangerously short of electrical power. Your government is doing everything possible on your behalf, no expense of my office will be spared to ensure the safety and security of our citizens…"

Shinjuku Engine Company 17

"Fighting Dragoons"

Morning

Timber sat rubbing his head and moaning as he tried to catch up with his still spinning computer brain. "Ugh…I feel so out of it…Where did you guys find me?"

"You were out in the back yard." The station chief's aide Shindo said as he slipped a hot chocolate into Timber's hands. "Thought you might like that."

Bobo came walking up. "Took the guys about an hour to bring us both up. The station's been busy since midnight. The Mayor said it was EMP."

"EMP whatever." Timber snorted. "Have him fix my brain, ugh….I feel like going to bed."

"Well give that thought up." The Chief said as he threw a jacket in Timber's lap. "We roll in ten minutes. Still more people in stalled elevators to rescue."

Timber thought about Atlas. Obviously he carried him back which meant Atlas was fine all night. Tim turned his attention to the television and continued to wince and moan over the sluggish feeling.

City Hall, New Shinjuku

"General Red, Dianne Goodmart from CNN, do you think this was a terrorist incident?"

General Red advanced to the microphones and cleared his throat. "Presently the National Government is considering the possibility of terrorism. The delivery system however is not known. We are reviewing air traffic monitoring data, file streams from civilian aircraft radar recorders and the various descriptions of a hovering object seen moments before the detonation…"

Elementary/Middle/Upper School 12

New Shinjuku

Miss Myoki's class

Abercrombie snorted. "Isn't it dumb? The whole city's a mess and here we are in school. What dufus came up with this idea?"

"Our parents want us all in one safe place and not running around the streets so I guess they're a bunch of dufus's huh?" Tamao said frowning. He looked back at Astro and snickered. "Well at least Astro's love interest is here."

Astro pulled Tamao's hat down over his head. "Shut up dork-a-saurus!"

One of the other kids turned in her chair. "You're lucky though. Looks like a lot of the robots got busted up when they lost their power and some of them are out for good."

"Few older models are EMP hardened." Astro said groaning. "Who ever did this, they are the world's number one creep. Just thinking about what happened at the hospital when they couldn't get the back up power they needed…jerks."

"So are we gonna sleep here too?" Abercrombie asked. "I didn't bring anything."

"That'll smell nice after three days won't it?" Astro snickered.

Miss Myoki walked into the classroom and ushered all the students around her desk. "Alright all of you. Obviously I don't need to be long winded. Contrary to rumor there won't be any sleep overs. They expect to hopefully restore everything by the end of the day so we're back to school like always. Go back to your seats and pull up the assigned homework from last week."

Miss Myoki pointed at Astro. "But first let's thank Astro for restoring Magnamite last night and if you didn't hear yet, he single handedly prevented an airliner from crashing into the city so give him double claps!"

Astro waved his hands around as the students cheered. "I really didn't do much…"

Tamao laughed. "Hey Astro! Where's the ring you bought for Mrs Myoki?!"

Kenichi pulled out his cell phone. "Mrs Myoki? Can you give him a kiss? I need some blackmail points!"

Astro shuddered. "Oh come on you guys! Lay off it! I'm not in love with Miss Myoki!"

Just then, Myoki reached down and gave Astro a cheek smootch and the whole class broke out laughing…

"Ugh?! Oh man…."Astro said with embarrassment.

City Hall, New Shinjuku

After the press conference, Mayor Roji, Doctor O'Shay and Inspector Towashi walked into the Mayor's office and closed the door behind them.

"All right. Now I want to know what you have so far. I have to call the Prime Minister himself with General Red and frankly I haven't got clue one of what we're dealing with. You're both telling me that the Tsumitomo fire a few days ago, the noise incident in Daisu and this thing last night "could" be related? I don't think I can go to the Prime Minister with the word "Could" gentlemen. He doesn't like the word "could"."

Doctor O'Shay held his chin. "Mister Mayor, from all we gathered thus far at the Ministry of Science we have a vague identification of a sort of spherical object in the vicinity of the Tsumitomo plant minutes before the explosion there. At least that's what Astro thinks it was."

The Mayor pursed his lips. "I heard from one of the news people that Atlas was in Daisu when the noise disruption happened. Did the police check that out?"

Towashi nodded. "We concluded he had nothing to do with the actual incident."

"But…he ran from your officers didn't he?"

Towashi nodded. "Yes but…it's Doctor O'Shay's opinion that Atlas was just watching the firemen working on the street below. Astro told him that Atlas is rather enthused about firefighters."

"I personally don't care if he collects bottle caps." The Mayor said frowning. "When someone runs from the police that makes them suspect unless otherwise. I want him brought in for questioning, no excuses."

Doctor O'Shay raised his hand. "Beg your pardon Mister Mayor but…I feel we should tread very lightly on any matter where robots might be concerned. If unfounded rumors were given sudden validity with an open pursuit of Atlas…we may very well run into the same sorry scenario that we had last year when we rounded up robots for the needs of safety."

"I'm with the Doctor." Towashi said as he sat patting his fingers together. "We should take a careful approach and as much as it burns my butter…we should give Astro the job of bringing Atlas in. At least my officers will be free to pursue our current problem."

The mayor nodded. "Fine. We'll leave it to Astro. Tell him I want Atlas in for questioning Doctor, no excuses, no tricks and no being nice."

Doctor O'shay nodded. "Yes Sir Mister Mayor…he may not like doing it but he'll follow orders."

Elementary/Middle/Upper School 12

New Shinjuku

Astro, Tamao, Abercrombie and Ken were standing beside Ken's locker talking about what to do for lunch and after school when Astro was suddenly pushed roughly aside by an upper-classman. "Get out of the way jerk." The tall 10th grader snarled.

"What was that for?!" Ken snorted back. "He wasn't anywhere near you."

The bigger kid turned around. "Oh yes he was. Any robot in this school is a robot too close. I guess you little kids can't put two and two together that these things are causing all the mess."

"That's not true!" Abercrombie snarled.

Astro got between his friends and the upper classmen. "Come on guys, it's no big deal, not like I got hurt or something just let it go."

"Yeah…why don't you listen to the piece of "beep" here and mind your own business?"

Ken gnashed his teeth. "YOU CREEP! YOU TAKE THAT BACK!"

"What are you gonna do about it punk?" The upper classman snapped. "Wanna fight you little scrawny sap?"

Astro threw his arms up. "Stop it! Nobody needs to fight over it." Astro looked back. "You guys go ahead to the lunch room."

Suddenly the upper classmen pushed Astro hard. "Come on robot. Let's see you fight."

Astro backed away. "I'm not going to fight an ignorant person, it's a waste of time." Astro turned away to walk but suddenly a raw egg smacked him in the back of the head!

"Whatcha gonna do now? Come on robot are you chicken? I bet he's one of em. My Dad says never trust these walking trashcans man…they…."

Suddenly Kenichi bounded past Astro, jumped up and clocked the upper classmen right in the kisser! "Astro may not fight you but that doesn't mean I can't!"

Kenichi suddenly got grabbed up by another upper classmen and thrown hard into a locker where the first bully started to pound on him viciously. "YOU LITTLE "BEEP" BAG!"

Suddenly the bully got lifted off his feet, rolled through the air and slammed into the floor on his stomach! A foot came down on his neck and his right arm got cranked up behind him!

Astro stood on him with the angriest looking face he'd ever shown. "I…SAID… THAT'S ENOUGH!"

The hall was as silent as night. No one moved, except for the principle who came running around the corner and shuddered to a stop. "YOU THREE! GET IN MY OFFICE NOW!"

The Principles Office

The principle had Astro, Kenichi and Fushiro Ugi the trouble maker before his desk and by the look on his face he was itching to exact some punishment on some one…

"Fushiro? I'm not surprised. Since when and who gave you the authority to tell any student of this school that they have no right to be here? Are you the Principle? No one elected you. A weeks suspension, a weeks detention and you can forget playing sports."

"Principle!"

"Shut up Fushiro…shut…your…stupid trap or so help me it'll be expulsion. Now remove yourself from my office."

Next the Principle turned to Kenichi. "Ken? Normally I have you in here for honors or for class president meetings. Not suspensions."

"Principle? He attacked Astro. I was…"

"Astro was perfectly capable of handling it. Doesn't the school rule book say that you should avoid a fight and go get a teacher if a bully refuses to quit?"

Ken nodded.

"You escalated the problem by throwing your fists. Not a good example of a class president. Three days suspension, one week's detention."

The principle then turned to Astro. "Sigh…three days suspension, one weeks detention."

Ken shuddered. "Principle! Why Astro? He didn't do anything wrong! He was the victim in all this!"

"KEN!" The principle shouted. "Enough…Astro knows why, don't add to yours. Go on…I called your father. I'm sure he is very proud of his son standing up the way you did."

Ken bowed then turned tearfully to Astro. "I'm sorry."

Astro smiled slightly and pointed to Ken's black eye. "That's why I take the hits." He then bowed to the Principle. "I am sorry for what I did."

"Sit down." The Principle asked. "I know you acted out of concern for Ken. That's not the issue…you….used a police hold on a student. You could have pushed him off, thrown him off even dragged him down the hall by his legs but you had him with your boot on his neck and his arm cranked up. And that look?"

Astro looked at the floor.

"His father will no doubt come here and butch up a storm about that. I've had to deal with him before and I can tell you Astro he's as big a horses butt as I've seen."

The Principle knelt down and rubbed Astro's head. "I'm not suspending you because you did anything wrong, I'm doing it to protect your reputation. You're very important to all of us and I'm not going to let some empty headed dolt with a chip on his shoulder hurt you."

Astro nodded.

"Now go home. In a few days this whole thing will pass."

Astro walked out of the office and into his classroom where Miss Myoki sat at her desk waiting for her class to come back from lunch. "Miss Myoki? I've been suspended."

"Ken told me all about it." She said as she got up and rubbed Astro on the head. "Are you alright?"

Astro sighed. "I went too far." He shuddered and winced. "I just reacted…I knew when I saw everybody looking at me that I…."

"Shhhh…." Myoki gestured. "After I saw Ken's black eye, I wouldn't fault you one bit. A 16 year old jock beating up an 11 year old like that? No Astro you did nothing wrong…except shame on you for taking more time away from my class."

Astro giggled. "Wanna elope?"

"Get out of here!" Myoki laughed as she turned Astro around and pushed him towards the door.

"Seriously! I have a ladder, I know some musical bots hey I could even get SEAL to sing for us!"

"Go!" Myoki pushed. "Go on and cause trouble or whatever."

Office of the K.E.H.L.

Tokyo

early afternoon

A young woman walked into Zenzo's office and handed him a paper. "We just get a call from a Mister Ugi in New Shinjuku Sir. It seems Astro roughed up his son during a fight."

Zenzo looked up. "Roughed him up?"

"Yes Sir. He used a police takedown and hold. The father is looking for a lawyer, he wants Astro removed permanently from the school. He's also considering a law suit against the Ministry of Science."

Zenzo gleemed. "Their hero finally went too far, I told you this would happen!" Zenzo grabbed a phone. "I want to exploit this to the hilt. News media, protests, the works. You can even call the father and recommend our lawyer. Go get Mister Hill in here, we're going to jump right onto this!"

The office of Tamago Hamu

Attorney at Law

Note: Tamago Hamu…hehehe….Japanese name for good ol Ham Egg. The character is played by the 2009 movie Hamegg.

"Afternoon Mister Hill." Tamago said as he sat with his feet up on his desk. "Yeah? Use of a police hold….cranked his arm….roughed him up….oh yeah…yeah, it's a case I can work with."

Tamago got up and walked around. "I can find a few laws he broke! First the school policy then if we find even the pinkest out of pink skin we can get him on the three laws. You want him gone from the school, I'll do better, I'll fix it so he spends the rest of his "life" in a glass soup can at the museum of art."

"MIDGEY!" Tamago screamed out. His secretary came running in and took a folder smacked into her chest. "Get to work kid. I want everything you can find wrong with this robot kid. Do your magic and you'll get a bonus for Christmas…What's that Mister Hill? Oh yeah…get that kid on television as soon as you can, I'll be at NHK before you can fart."

Maruzen Industrial Complex

North Harajuku Chome

Mid-Afternoon

Mishima walked into the great expanse of the heavy machinery shop, removing his white uniform gloves and stowing them neatly into the breast pocket of his service coat as he passed by various robots performing their daily assignments. Turning a corner he quickly trotted up a staircase holding his service sword close to him to prevent it from swinging wildly. He came to the door at the top, announced himself and awaited a response…

"You may enter Major General." The voice, cold and youthful, replied as Mishima entered and bowed deeply.

"I am to your service." He said in ram rod cold military precision.

The object of his veneration walked up and bowed in greeting. "I am sure the news you have for me is very positive?"

"Yes. The testing is going exceptionally well. Unfortunately…as you predicted…the two Atom class robots seem a little tougher than expected."

"Yes…but that won't matter by the time we proceed. We shall move so swiftly that they'll never act fast enough. Of course…I am counting on our aim to win over one of them, he will be a valued asset."

Mishima nodded. "We also are achieving the goal of winning over converts in key defense areas. Your adoption of our cause is a ray of glorious sunshine to every true blood of our race."

"And why not?" The figure said as he turned about and walked with his hands gesturing. "Japan is the technological wonder of humanity, the visionary artist of a new and glorious future. Hakko Ichiu is the logical conclusion, a world without war under the care and stewardship of the most advanced civilization it will ever know. But to reach it we must first remove the offending hindrances of weakness and peace that infest our nation."

Mishima bowed sternly. "One can not make it to perfection without a few cuts along the way."

The figure smiled back. "Do continue your good work. I may revise my plans to elevate you from Defense Minister to Prime Minister given the faithfulness of your performance."

Mishima bowed deeply. "Your trust is most treasured."

Doctor O'Shay's home

Late afternoon

Astro trudged in, threw his book bag in the corner and dropped onto the couch with a groan as Norra floated up. "Why the long face?"

"I got suspended from school." Astro replied as he clicked on the television and looked at Norra. "Funny huh?"

"You got….suspended?"

"Yeah…I got in a fight. You'll probably hear about it when Doctor O'Shay walks in."

O'Shay came down the stairs from his office. "I heard an ear full of it believe me. I just got off the phone with your principle and the father of the boy hired a lawyer to sue both the school and the Ministry of Science."

Astro shook his head. "He was punching Ken's brains out and I reacted! Or…over reacted…I tried to walk away doctor but the jerk kept pushing on me!"

O'Shay patted Astro's shoulder. "We'll deal with it my boy. You had every right to stop that boy and I'm sure everyone will agree."

Astro stood up and walked around upset. "I thought the Robot Rights Law would stop all this! Why do some people still hate us robots? I try so hard Doctor, I bust my body, I blow my circuits, I want humans to know we care so much for them and I still get spat on, eggs thrown at me and jerks who want to take a baseball bat to my head!"

Astro stomped his foot. "It's….Grrr…I don't know what to think?!!!"

O'Shay walked up, rubbed Astro's head and smiled at him. "What does your heart tell you?"

"Sigh…Elope with Miss Myoki."

"What?" O'Shay replied.

"Yeah! I'm gonna get a ladder, carry Miss Myoki out of her house and flee into exile to Pago Pago."

O'Shay shook his head. "You're getting sillier every day."

Astro smirked as he looked at the television. "What else can I do?"

Both of them saw Tomago Hamu standing in front of the school with Fushiro Ugi snorting and pushing his finger into the assembled microphones. "This is an outrage! My client may have deserved suspension for his actions but in no way and no manor did he deserve to be manhandled and threatened by this robot boy who seems to have a problem controlling his actions! This proves our long standing case that robots with individual, unsupervised and uncontrolled behavior can be a potential threat to human lives!"

Sengoku Central Communications

Yokohama

Evening

Kazuko Inoe walked from her cubicle and passed by a still working robot on her way out the door. "Still working Tamooki?" She asked.

"I have some registration orders to process before Friday, thought I'd spend another hour and knock off as many as I could."

Kazuko smiled. "What do you do when you're not working?"

"Bowling." The robot replied. He waved her goodbye and waited till she was gone from the office before switching the small box that was attached to his computer back on. Quickly he typed a series of coded messages below each selection title as it flashed over his screen….

7th Armored Divison

2nd Infantry Division

4th Artillary Brigade

9th Military Police Division

4th Armored Infantry Division

Doctor O'Shay's home

9pm

Astro was sitting up in his bed giggling over a "What's Michael" manga when he heard a tapping at his window. He threw open the curtain to see Atlas sitting on the sill with a scowl on his face.

"What are you doing?" Astro asked. "You're brave. Doctor O'Shay told me this evening that I have to bring you in, no excuses."

Atlas poked his head into the room and climbed through the window. "I'm gonna snatch that stupid human loudmouth by his underwear and hang him from a stupid flag pole!"

Astro sighed. "You saw that didn't you?"

"Damn right I did! What a bunch of ungrateful foot shooting flesh bags, how many times are you going to bow with a big stupid smile on your face before you realize they're not your friends?!"

Astro moaned. "There you go again! Every human's the enemy to you."

Atlas pushed a piece of paper into Astro's chest. "What do you say to this?!"

Astro looked at the propaganda note, obviously from the Keel, that showed him sitting in a zoo like cage with the worlds…"Keep them secure or…" Then he looked below it. It showed him kicking a human on a leash. "Be their pet."

Astro threw the paper down. "Oh come on…you're gonna fall for this garbage? Atlas, they do it because they know they can push your buttons!"

Atlas snatched up the paper. "Do you see that! I'll be burned in a roaster before they lay a single slimy finger on you! They attack you going to school, suppose they win? Then what? Do you even think that given the ugly history of humans they wouldn't start chipping away at the Robot Rights Act until you end up in a glass case in some museum?"

Astro shook his head. "There's too many humans who'll resist them."

Atlas snorted. "There's too many times when humans with all the power and all the guns have made all the rules too…don't forget that. You may dislike what I think Astro but you'll know that I have your back."

Atlas turned to go but Astro gestured. "Atlas? I've been ordered to bring you in and I'd rather do it than Shinsaku Ban. Please…don't make me come after you. I'll give you 24 hours. I promise I'll stand by you all the way, I won't let them hurt you. But if you refuse…it's gloves off."

Atlas snorted back. "Then you better bring enough butt kicking sauce to the party."

Astro walked to the window as Atlas climbed up. "Astro? If you come after me, you better not wuss. I don't intend to be caught so easily."

Astro was silent as he watched Atlas fly away.

End of part II

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