Chapter 2
Kattelox Island
Rock, Barrell, and Roll stood outside the Flutter, surveying the damage.
"This," said Barrel, "is a mess. I don't think it'll be safe to set foot here for quite a while."
"We've been pushing her so hard ... haven't been taking good enough care of her..." muttered Roll. She looked up. "We'll just have to fix her up!"
"I saw a town to the north before we landed," said Rock. "I think I'll have a look around."
"You go ahead," said Roll. "I hope we'll be able to find some parts to fix her here..."
Rock turned to leave, but he was stopped by a short, robotic monkey. "Yo, MegaMan!" said the monkey, using a nicname he refused to explain. "You want me to tag along?"
"Um, no thanks, Data," said Rock. "You stay here."
"I'll never figure out how he understands that monkey," muttered Barrell. "Sounds like just gibberish to me."
If Data understood the old man, he didn't show it. "Okay, boyo," he said. "Anything for someone who's been a friend for years!"
Rock headed north towards the city, but he was barely halfway there before he heard sirens. A police car abruptly drove by, heading towards the Flutter. Rock considered his various options, and decided that the best one would be to return in case something was up.
He arrived back at the scene of the crash and saw that a police officer and an inspector were standing and talking to Barrell.
"Hey, Rock!" Barrell, waving. "The police saw us crash-land and came to check up on us!"
"Well, you certainly put on quite a show," said the inspector, "but it looks like everyone's all right. Let me welcome you to Kattelox Island! Now, I'd like to ask one of you to come with me to the station."
"We need you to fill out some immigration forms so you can get your registration and ID card," said the officer. "You can't enter the city without one."
"Will that take long?" asked Barrell.
"Don't worry--of course not," said the inspector. "While you're waiting, you can spend your time in the shopping arcade next to the city--you don't need an ID card to get in there."
"Well, then let's go," said Barrell.
The three of them left in the police car. Roll, Rock, and Data watched them go.
"I'll take a look at the Flutter while we wait for Gramps to get back," said Roll.
"Go ahead," said Rock. "Though I don't want to just sit here doing nothing..."
"Maybe you could find some parts for the Flutter at that shopping area the Inspector mentioned," suggested Roll.
"I'll do that," said Rock.
This time, there were no interruptions as he made the short walk towards the city. However, he saw a broken-down car and what he recognized as the entrance to some ancient ruins. There was also an odd-looking airship just outside the city walls. It was bulky, reddish-grey, and had a bizzare emblem that looked something like a robotic skull on the front ...
Someone tapped Rock on the shoulder. He turned and saw another police officer.
"Excuse me," said the officer. "Is this your ship? It shouldn't be here--this is a no-parking zone!"
"Uh, no, it's not mine," said Rock.
"Hmm," said the officer. "I wonder whose it is ... How long are they going to leave this thing sitting here?"
Rock didn't have an answer, so he simply shrugged and entered the shopping arcade.
Neither Rock nor the police officer had noticed the two small robots behind the airship. They were short, squat, and resembled Lego people more than anything else. Nervous ones at that, if their facial expressions were any evidence.
"If we don't leave soon, we're gonna get a parking ticket!" muttered one of the Servbots.
"We hafta wait for Miss Tron," said the other. "She told us to wait for her, and that's what we're gonna do!"
The first Servbot whimpered. "The police'll see us!"
The second one decided not to argue, but merely said, "I wonder what's keeping Miss Tron?"
A banner hanging from the ceiling proclamed, Apple Market; Rock assumed that was its name. He looked around, and saw that everyone seemed to be staring at him. He understood this: the town seemed to be small enough that just about everyone knew everyone else, and Rock Volnutt was a stranger -- something decidedly uncommon, though not exactly unheard of.
Before he took too steps, however, a small dog ran over to him and started barking excitedly. It seemed to be doing its best to look threatening, though it failed completely.
"Uh ... good boy ..." said Rock. He wasn't sure how to deal with it, but then a girl in a blue dress walked over.
"Down, Paprika!" she said. With the dog subdued, she turned to Rock. "Uh, hi. You were from that airship that crashed, weren't you?"
"Yeah," said Rock. Evidently, news traveled fast around here. "My name's Rock."
"My name's Maria," said the girl. "This is my dog, Paprika. He's cute, isn't he?"
"You bet," said Rock, smiling. "Say, is there anywhere I can get parts for the airship?"
Maria pointed towards a store at the north end of the shopping arcade. "Try the Junk Store," she said.
Rock thanked her and headed north, but he was stopped by three unpleasant-looking boys. "Hold it," said the largest of them.
"Who are you?" said Rock.
"I'm Jim," said the one who had spoken. "This is Osh" -- He indicated the middle-sized boy with the kerchief on his head -- "and this is Bensley." He gestured towards the shortest. "You're on the island to look for the treasure, aren't you?"
Rock regarded the three of them. It was clear that Osh and Jim at least could bully their entire school if they wanted, but he doubted that they had ever gone one-on-one against a Digger in a full suit of armor. To be honest, he wasn't sure they wanted to find out what it was like. "I'm just trying to get parts for my airship so I can leave," he said.
"Can't fool us," said Jim. "I know you're lookin' for the treasure, just like that girl that was here a minute ago."
Rock decided to play along. "What if I do?" he said. "I don't suppose you'd know about it?"
"No!" snapped Jim. "I don't know nothin' about it! Even if I did, I wouldn't tell a stanger like you!"
By this time, Osh and Bensley had gained enough courage to speak up. "Yeah!" said Osh. "Strangers aren't wanted here! Go away!"
"There've been a lot of strangers coming here lately," muttered Bensley. "Makes me nervous--I don't like strangers!"
"Well, then, I'd better leave," said Rock. He pushed past them and entered the junk shop.
"Oh, hello," said the woman behind the counter.
"Uh, hi," said Rock. "I'm from the, uh, crashed airship ... Do you have any parts we can use?"
The woman considered this. "I'm sorry," she said, "but my husband's gone out on a Dig in the ruins just outside of town. Well, not really to dig, but, you know, just search."
"Yeah," said Rock. "Any good refractors?"
"Actually, out here you're more likely to find machine parts," she said. "Maybe when he gets back he'll have something."
"I hope so," said Rock.
There was a pause.
"I wonder what's taking him so long," said the woman. "He said he'd be back half an hour ago ..."
"Maybe he lost track of time," said Rock. "Mind if I go look for him?"
The woman brightened. "You will?" she said. "Oh, thank you so much! You'll probably find him somewhere near the entrance--he's really just a big coward, you see, so I don't think he's gone too far in..."
"I'll go see what I can do," said Rock, and left.
Barely ten seconds after he'd climbed down the ladder into the cave, Rock thought he heard a voice. "Help! Somebody!" said the voice.
Rock muttered, "Uh-oh," and drew his Buster.
He started down the tunnel and was warmly greeted by a Zakobon, but it was caught off-guard, and he dispatched it with his Buster without any trouble.
He continued through the caves, hearing the man calling at more or less every turn, and then came to a slightly wider cavern, swarming with Mirumijees. There was a ledge in the opposite end of the room, and frantically trying to climb up it -- despite a cumbersome bag slung over one shoulder -- was the owner of the voice, which was now saying, "Hurry! Get those snake things!"
Rock looked at the situation: there were seven Mirumijees. He fired his Buster seven times, and smoking Mirumijee bits clattered to the floor.
"Wow," said the man. "You're good!"
"Thanks," said Rock.
"Hey, what are you thanking me for?!" said the man. "You saved my life! Thanks!"
"Any time," said Rock. "You're the guy who runs the junk store, right?"
"Uh, yeah," said the man. He climbed off the ledge. "My name's Dan. Come by my shop later. I may have some kind of reward."
"Rock," said Roll, as the former climbed out of the ruins a moment after the junk store owner.
"Uh, yeah?" said Rock.
"You could've told me," she said, gesturing at the cave.
"Oh," said Rock, feeling his face warm. "Sorry."
"That's okay," said Roll. "But would you look at this car!"
Rock looked at it. It was red and yellow, covered in rust, and appeared to be broken down. He decided it would be tactful not to say anything at all. But Roll always liked working with machines.
"It looks like it was an old Spotter's car," said Roll.
"You think you'd want to use it if you could?" said Rock.
"Maybe if we fixed it up ..." said Roll, who apparently hadn't noticed he'd meant it as a joke.
Rock shrugged, and headed back towards the town.
"Oh, you came back!" said Dan when Rock arrived at the junk shop.
"Thank you so much!" said his wife. "I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't gone looking for him!"
Dan laughed out loud. "Thanks again for helping me out back there," he said. "Here--take this as a reward!" He handed Rock a box that said Mine Parts Kit.
"I bet this'll help with Reaverbots," said Rock. "Thanks."
"Are you sure that's enough?" said Dan's wife.
"Of course not! You deserve more!" said Dan, turning back to Rock. "You can have that Spotter's car that's outside the ruins. It has some equipment that will get those mines to work."
Rock smiled. "Roll will love it," he said. "But what I really need is parts for the Flutter."
"Oh," said Dan. "Well, I'm sorry, but I don't have anything like that here. I can probably get you some of it soon, though. I've also got weapons and upgrades and other stuff I can sell you. Come back again and take a look."
"I will," said Rock.
"Ummm..." Dan floundered for a moment. "What did you say your name was?"
"Rock," he said. "Rock Volnutt."
"Well, Rock," said Dan, "I guess I'll see you later then."
Roll was still puttering around the Spotter's car, but with much less distraction. "Hey, Rock," she said as he approached. "Were you able to find something?"
"'Fraid not," said Rock. "But the junk store owner says he'll be able to get some parts later. Or we could dig for them ourselves."
"Oh," said Roll. "That might take a while ..."
"Yeah, well, you win some, you lose some," said Data, hopping into view next to Roll.
Rock snorted. "Data, where'd you learn tact?" he said. "Oh, by the way ..." He showed Roll the mine parts kit.
She looked through the box. "That looks like a weapons upgrade module," she said.
"The junk store man gave it to me," said Rock. "He said we could use this car to hook it up."
"You mean we can use this car!?" said Roll, her excitement returning. "Well, c'mon, then, let's get it attached right away!"