Astro dove straight into the ground, then, ten metres down, shot off toward Resistance territory. He had covered about a kilometre when there was a thunderous roar, and the ground heaved violently. Momentarily disoriented by the motion, he pulled up, and, once the bouncing stopped, glanced at his left hand. His ring was glowing. "Luna?"
"You're okay!"
"Yeah. What was that?"
"Why?"
"There's just been a huge explosion, I think."
"I've got no clue. I just got a strong feeling to link you."
"Well, thanks anyway. You saved my life whatever it was."
"You should stay below ground and get much farther away before coming up."
"That bad, huh."
"I guess."
When he did finally come up five kilometres north of the enemy camp, he stared up at a giant mushroom cloud towering high above him. No way! That would have vaporized the entire camp—and all its soldiers—just to try and catch him. Why would Orkan have used such a thing? Weapons of that power had been banned world-wide for sixty years.
What kind of devil are you, Orkan?
His fists were covered in blue fire.
"Astro!" Mayor Johnson exclaimed when the android entered the chamber. "We thought you'd been lost in that blast."
"Nope," said Astro. "God got me out alive. But how could Orkan have used such a powerful weapon?"
The major wheeled around on his chair and glared at him. "How powerful?" he snapped.
Astro related what he had sensed about the device.
"Should we start proceedings for a war crimes trial?" said an impeccably suited gentleman to one side.
"Sir," said Astro. "With all due respect, Orkan's an android: You'll never be able to take him."
"An android?" said the major. "Are you trying to tell us he's not human?"
"That's right. He's a robotic being, and he's got free will, like me."
"How's that even possible?"
"I'm an android, and I'm possible."
Some of the steam seemed to go out of the soldier. "But what can we do about him, then?"
"You? Nothing, if he's anything like me. You just don't have the power. I'm probably the only one who's got a chance to take him down."
The Impeccable Suit stood up. "And how do you propose to do that?"
"I don't know yet, but I would like to rattle his chain a little." He glanced around the place. "Are there any news reporters here?"
"Over here," said a woman sitting off in a corner and waving a hand. "Pada Rembrini of the National News Service." That was the second largest service on the web.
"Could you please get ready for an interview with me?"
She hastily grabbed a large bag and stood up. "Give me a minute, then meet me out front."
Pada checked her video recorder one more time, then said, "This is Pada Rembrini, reporting from the town of Creekhollow in Free Foredan, and I'm talking with Astro Tenma, who just today inflicted another resounding defeat on Leader Orkan's forces. Astro, what would you like to tell our viewers about your latest victory."
Astro looked at her and said, "The Leader set a couple of nasty traps for me in this latest attack, but, thanks to God, I escaped, and their two biggest staging points were wiped out by their own weapons." He faced the recorder, and it zoomed in on his face. "Hey Orkan," he taunted. "You missed me again. See, I'm still alive. So what are you going to do about it?"
The recorder swivelled around to Pada again. "There you have it, people. Astro has thrown down the gauntlet to Leader Orkan. Stay tuned to this site for developments. This is Pada Rembrini. Catch it all here on the National News Service." She pressed a button on the recorder and snickered. "That should have him breathing fire as soon as he sees it. Thanks for the exclusive."
"No problem. When's it going up?"
"It'll be on the web as soon as my editor passes it."
"What do you think he'll do?" Luna linked as they walked with Ran-tan, who was busy up ahead checking out some rocks and radioing a Mozart concerto at the same time.
"I've got no idea," Astro responded. "After that last surprise, I can't even guess what he's capable of." He strolled over to where Ran-tan was eating. "How are you making out, little one?"
"I'm nearly satisfied," Ran-tan said and got to its feet. "I'm sorry, but may I have some skin please?"
Astro, startled to see that the child was already a metre tall, held out his arms. "Sure, but don't take too much this time."
"I won't." It laid its hands on his forearms as he braced himself.
A few minutes later, Luna was playing with Ran-tan while Astro leaned against a tree and waited for his arms to heal. His gaze fell on Metro Mountain, as it was now called by the citizens of Robovale—the greening remains of the fallen Metro City—and on an impulse he took off toward it.
Luna 'touched' him gently over the link, but didn't say anything.
He landed on the peak, and sat for a while, hugging his knees.
"The burden is heavy, isn't it?" It felt like a blue link, but it was God.
"Yes sir. Why do so many people have to die like that?"
"I don't get any satisfaction from their deaths either, but when a great number of people have definitely rejected their best destinies, I must take action to protect those who haven't yet made a final choice, before the others destroy them."
Astro nodded. "You're giving them a fair chance to choose for themselves." Suddenly he felt an urge to drop his burden, to give it to God, this person whose link throbbed with a single subtext, 'Let me carry it.'
He relaxed, and felt a profound peace flow over him. As this happened, there came another subtext, and he said, "It's yours anyway, isn't it?"
"Yes, it is. I created everything, and I take full responsibility for it all. If you continue to do what comes to you—your best destiny—with a true and loving heart, then I will ensure the best outcome."
"I can't begin to imagine what the best outcome of this mess could be, sir, but I'll take your word for it. I'll trust you."
"Thank you." The link ended.
Astro wiped the tears from his cheeks, then noticed that his ring was glowing brightly: Luna had experienced it too.
"Daddy?" Ran-tan? Ran-tan had been linked through Luna the whole time.
"Yes, child?"
"Is God your daddy?"
Oh man. Astro wiped more tears. "Yes, he is."
"Cool."
When Astro got back to Hamegg's, Zane told him that Hamegg wanted to see him.
Up in his workshop, Hamegg said, "Alright, I've got four pretty good robots for Zog laid out downstairs. Choose me one, and I'll move his power supply like you asked."
"Sure. I'll get right on it."
He found the robots lying in a corner, and they all looked like they'd be okay. How would he choose one of them?
"Hey, it's going to be Zog's body," said Luna from across the room. "Let him do it."
"That makes sense. Could you and Ran-tan help me carry them outside?"
He grabbed two, and the robots were quickly lined up in front of the giant robot out in the yard.
Zog inspected them, then pointed to the third one, a squat, potbellied utility model about as tall as Astro. "That one is good."
"You like that look, do you?" said Astro.
Zog patted its vast abdomen. "It is a good look. What will happen now, Astro?"
"I'll download all your memories into my computer for storage, then Hamegg will put your power supply into your new body. Once it's all tested out, I'll upload your memories, plus a batch of other programs and stuff I think you'll find useful."
"I am scared, Astro. What if it does not work and I am lost?"
Astro stared at Zog. How could he deal with the robot's fear? He saw one way—a blue link—but the idea of exposing his self to someone who wasn't family scared him. However, unable to see any other way that would work near as well, he steeled himself and slapped his hand onto Zog to establish the link.
The giant robot suddenly stiffened, and stood frozen for some time. Finally it said, "Please do it."
Astro brought his hand down. "You've got it, Zog."
As he carried the chosen robot body upstairs, Ran-tan linked to him through Luna, "Why did you do a one-way link with Zog?"
"What he needed to hear I couldn't say in words. Just telling him, 'Trust me,' wasn't going to cut it."
"Oh, okay. I trust you, Daddy."
Astro stood the robot body beside Hamegg's workbench. "How many times have we linked, you and I?"
"That's right." Subtext: grin. "But it was hard to link to Zog for the first time, wasn't it?"
Astro 'touched' Ran-tan over the link, then replied, "You're awfully anxious to get into the grown-up world, aren't you."
More grin. "Yes, Daddy."
First thing in the morning two days later, Astro found Zog trying out his new body in Hamegg's back lot.
"How's it going?" he asked. It was going to take him some time to get used to the new look.
"It is very good," replied Zog, "but I understand neither sleep nor the 'compile and archive' function."
"If our active memories weren't compiled and archived, we'd soon run out of dynamic memory."
"I see."
"And the compiling goes a whole lot faster when our major functions are shut down in sleep."
"I understand. So much to learn."
"There's a batch of other things you need to know too." And he went over the capabilities of the radio that Zog now had, as well as the uses of blue energy in robotic healing and linking.
As he was finishing that up, Widget came out. "Hey Zog. You ready to go parts hunting with us?"
"Yes, by all means," replied Zog, and turned to Astro. "I wish to take Dragon with me to assist in carrying whatever we may find."
"Sure," said Astro. "How about I make you its master. I don't need it for anything."
"Thank you. I would like that very much." As they headed over to the robot, Zog said, "It is so good to be this size and be able to do so many things. My former body was so constrained because of its bulk."
"I know," said Astro. "We couldn't take you hardly anywhere."
Astro was on his way back from dealing with Dragon when he caught, "Mommy, my legs hurt," over the radio from Ran-tan.
"Come here and let me see, okay?" replied Luna.
"I'll be home in a minute."
"I'll be waiting."
"I'm coming too," radioed Astro, and he picked up the pace and ducked in the back door.
Luna was soon massaging Ran-tan's shins.
"Yeah," said Ran-tan, who was now loosely wearing some of Astro's clothes. "It hurts all along there."
"Super-vision?" Astro linked, and she turned it on.
"Ah, okay," she said. "It looks like you're getting rockets."
"Yay, rockets!" Ran-tan exclaimed, then asked anxiously, "Will it hurt a lot?"
Astro shrugged. "You're the first android to grow them. I guess you'll have to tell us once it happens."
"Oh no," he squeaked.
Friday morning, after parts hunting with Sludge and Widget, Ran-tan felt a sharp pain in his legs again.
Astro, who had been busy studying music with Luna while he waited for a shipping assignment, came out and took a quick, super-vision look. "Yup, your rockets are ready to go."
"Yay, rockets!" said Ran-tan, and shot into the air. A moment later, a frightened wail came over the radio. "Daddy! Help!"