The combots' hinges hissed in time, like some sort of chant. They pushed forward with high steps and ready arm cannons. Between them, the exhausted Mobian prisoners trudged on.

Bunnie and Rotor walked side by side at the head of the line, their heads bowed and eyes shadowed. When they had first been put into the line, Bunnie had looked at the sea lion and said a quick, "Sorry, Rotor," but that was the only conversation that had passed between them. There were about twenty five of the Mobian prisoners. The others had either escaped or been shot. Why Bunnie and Rotor had not been shot, they did not know. They had gotten away easy.

Especially Bunnie. When the combots had cornered her, they had torn off her blaster arm and reopened her shoulder wound. Thankfully for her, the combot had gripped her upper arm as he did so. Otherwise, he would have ripped her entire arm out of her torso and she certainly would have bled to dead.

She still had her robotic legs though. They worked just fine without her having to exert much muscle. All she had to do was mentally remind herself to keep walking.

But the Mobians behind her were faltering. After Bunnie had kicked the wheel off, the cart was no use. The entire line of carts had slowed down, as Bunnie had hoped. The combots had finally gotten it out of the way, pushed the Mobians in line, and they had been marching ever since. Through the fog the air cruiser sent down on them as it passed overhead. Through the night and into the next morning. The combots were not programmed to factor in the needs for rest or water or sleep or restroom breaks or food or any other needs the Mobians might have had…If they didn't get where they were going soon, the others were going to start dropping fast. At least three had dropped already and the combots, after trying to arouse them, had shot them.

The burns on Rotor's legs were an angry red. He clenched his jaw in pain and stared at the forest, his eyes glazed over with exhaustion.

"Three miles until destination reached," the combots reported to each other in unison.

A series of groans and curses rang out from the line of Mobians. Someone started crying.

Bunnie lifted her head, a lock of hair falling over her face.

Plumes of smoke rose high above the trees. The sky was darker here. The air was thick with an acrid smell. The forest around them was sickly and traces of trash covered the ground.

She pinched her lips in understanding. She knew where they were.

At that moment, a Mobian squirrel bolted. She leapt forward, racing towards the woods—

The prisoners gasped, Bunnie spun around—

A combot's blaster cracked and the squirrel fell.

Bunnie flinched. Rotor stared.

The squirrel screamed, writhing on the ground. Two more blasts slammed into her body and finished her.

The prisoners watched with wide eyes. Bunnie turned away, her mouth clamped in a straight line.

Rotor kept his gaze downcast.

His grey blue eyes flickered.

He had said that he would rather die than go back to Robotropolis.

He glanced back at Bunnie and her drawn, pale face. The limp blonde curls that hung in her weary eyes. The shattered end of her blaster arm.

Rotor looked away quickly, back at the squirrel. At the still buzzing combot's blaster arm. At the tree line only several yards away—several yards he would never be able to cross.

Then without meaning to, he glanced back at Bunnie.

"…There—there's nothin' worth living for up ahead." Rotor whispered.

"You…you don't say, sugah…?" Bunnie forced a smile. She sounded exhausted.

Rotor hesitated.

Bunnie glanced at him. "Well, Ah know Ah'm gonna be pretty busy thinkin' about what to do with these people, Rotor. Hopefully that'll keep mah mind busy."

Rotor's eyes widened. "What?"

Bunnie didn't respond.

"But…but we didn't make it…we failed and y-you're still going to try to-" Rotor stammered.

Bunnie managed a wink. She laughed. "Ah think Ah have mah work cut out for me for awhile…As long as Ah've made it through, Ah guess Ah still have things to do."

Rotor pinched his lips, shaking his head to himself. His gaze wandered back towards the woods.

"Ah'll tell you what failure does look like though," Bunnie said. She lifted her hand and pointed back at the body of the squirrel. "That."

Rotor stiffened. He squared his shoulders.

"A-all she did was try to run…resist…," he murmured. "Y-you said fighters fight…"

Bunnie sighed. For a moment, Rotor caught the weariness flicker in her eyes.

"No, Rotor," she said. "She didn't run to get away….you know that."

Rotor's gaze shot back to the ground and he clamped his lips together. He hung his head, swallowing.

"Ah can't do anythin' to rescue people when they don't believe they can be rescued, sugah-boy," she said.

Her tone was sweet, but there was a barbed edge to her words and her eyes flashed at him.

Rotor blushed and kept marching on.