Author's Note: All right, got some reviews. Thanks a bunch, reviewers, much
appreciated. Here's Chapter 8 for those who're reading. Please review.
Disclaimer: Refer to the first chapter
Chapter Title: Swarms of SQUIDs and a self-repairing SPIDR
The SHARCs, low-earth orbit
The two SHARC craft jinked and rolled, desperately trying to avoid the swarms of SQUID units. The small robots stayed on the KND craft, some of them were already latching on. Those that latched on started to drill into the SHARC's hull.
"Dang, they're on the hull!" 5 said as alarms started to sound. "And they're trying to dig in!"
1 looked at his own displays at 5's report. True enough, the displays showed several SQUID units trying to force their way into his craft. 1 threw his SHARC into a fast roll, hoping to use the centrifugal force to remove the SQUID. But the small robot didn't budge, and there were still more to worry about. []---------[]
Meanwhile, 274 and 30C were having their own problems. Ten SQUID had latched on to their craft and four of them were already inside, destroying internal parts of the SHARC.
"30C, you gotta get them off us!" 274 screamed as alarms howled in the craft.
"How?!" 30C demanded, panicked.
"There are magnetic boots and a weapon under your chair." 274 said. "Go out there and blow those suckers off our ship!"
"What? I might damage the craft further if I do that." 30C said, incredulously. "More than that, what if they come after ME!"
"Just do it!" 274 shouted.
30C stared at 274 like he was insane, but he didn't protest any further. He quickly put on the boots and hefted the beam weapon. He made sure his spacesuit's helmet was on securely before he opened the cockpit's canopy. Psyching himself up, he reluctantly pulled himself out of the craft. []---------[]
[WARNING] warbled a mechanical voice. [INTERNAL SYSTEMS SEVERELY DAMAGED]
"I know that!" 1 snapped at the SHARC's internal computer. About six SQUIDs had drilled they're way into the craft, and seven more were trying to get through. As if that wasn't enough, there were still seventeen more robots still pursuing their SHARC. And he had to try and avoid getting more on him.
"We gotta get those things off!" 5 said.
"How do you propose we do that?!" 1 yelled at her.
"How should I know?!"
[WARNING, INTERNAL SYSTEMS SEVERELY DAMAGED]
"Argh!" 1 cried out in frustration. He had to get rid of these nerd robots or hid SHARC would fall apart. However, he had no idea what to do.
The SPIDR, approaching the KND Antarctic Base
Klaus felt his robot shake violently as a projectile struck it, blowing pieces out of it. But just as suddenly as the pieces flew off, they quickly reconnected to the SPIDR. Klaus smiled, the self-repair system designed by Jane was amazing.
Another projectile from the KND base's defense grid struck the SPIDR. It still self-repaired, but Klaus didn't smile this time. The weapon had almost hit the cockpit, the one part of the SPIDR that couldn't self- repair. He had to end this now.
Using the neuro-cybernetic controls, Klaus mentally ordered the SPIDR to arm weapons. The robot responded immediately, missile launchers and gatling guns poked out of its body. Klaus mentally targeted each weapon on different parts of the defense grid before he opened fire.
Gatling guns opened up and missiles flew. The KND base was carpeted with explosions. The detonations kicked up snow and shrapnel as it boomed through the Antarctic air.
Klaus grinned as the dust cleared. The automated weapons which had fired at him lay in ruins. Pieces of them were scattered across the snowy ground.
"Vell," Klaus remarked to himself. "So much for that problem."
The SPIDR continued unhindered toward the KND base.
The SHARCs
"Eat this!" 30C muttered as he blasted the SQUID units away from the hull. "Take that you stupid machines!"
One by one he picked off the robots as he walked across the fuselage of the SHARC with magnetic boots. He walked over to the holes made by the SQUIDs that had managed to completely drill in, he fired into them. Pieces of the broken machines flew out of them.
"Hah!" 30C said triumphantly. "Got 'em."
But there were still twenty more SQUIDs pursuing the SHARC, and many of them were starting to make runs at 30C, trying to knock him off. They weren't trying to kill him since they were not programmed to kill. But, of course, 30C didn't know that.
"Oh gawd!" 30C screamed as he started shooting wildly at the SQUIDs. "Ah! Ah! Don't kill me!"
Some of his shots actually struck a few SQUIDs, but there were too many of them. One of them knocked 30C's weapon out of his hand. Finding himself weaponless, 30C hugged the fuselage of the SHARC and hung on.
"There are too many of 'em!" 30C yelled to 274.
"Don't worry." 274 said "I just got an idea."
"Well, whatever it is, just do it!"
"You better hang on, this is gonna be really close."
30C did not like the way 274 said that. It sounded like the tone the operative had used just before he rammed his aircraft into the WOLF robot. But as 30C felt the SQUIDs trying to knock him off the ship, he realized that he had no choice. []---------[]
"Numbah 1." 1 heard 274 say over the radio. "Up for a game of chicken?"
"Huh?" 1 asked, confused at first. But then, he suddenly understood what 274 was planning to do. It was gonna be close, but it just might work. "Understood, 274."
1 banked hard, out in the distance he saw 274's SHARC doing the same. The SQUIDs behind 1 followed him mindlessly. The ones already in his SHARC were doing plenty of damage, and the other robots were eager to join in. Already, pieces of his craft were flying off.
[WARNING, STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY FAILING] warbled the computer.
"Uh, Numbah 1," 5 said from the backseat. "I know I shouldn't second- guess the pilot, but WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING?!"
Apparently, she had seen where 1 was pointing the SHARC. "Don't worry," 1 said. "Me and 274 know what we're doing."
The two SHARCs rushed headlong at each other, like two bullets aimed at each other's noses. "Oh man..." 5 muttered. "Oh man, oh man, oh man..."
The SHARCs were closing the gap rapidly. The SQIUD units were right behind them...
At the last instant, 1 and 274 snapped their craft into rightward quarter spins. The two SHARCs flashed by each other, belly to belly.
The SQUID following them weren't as smart. They slammed headlong into each other, blowing up as they did. Those that didn't crash into others found themselves torn to pieces from the shrapnel of the explosions. Suddenly, there were no more SQUID units following the SHARC craft.
"YES!" 1 shouted in celebration.
"Uh, Numbah 1," 5 said from the back seat. "Aren't you forgetting some thing?"
As if in agreement, the computer said: [WARNING, STRUCTURAL FAILURE IMMINENT]
The thirteen SQUIDs that were inside 1's SHARC did their jobs. The SHARC broke apart, flinging 1 and 5 into the vacuum of space.
KND Antarctic Base
"Holy mother of chum!" 2 breathed as he saw the damage the SPIDR had wrought. He hadn't really expected the defense grid to be much help, but seeing it wiped out so easily still stunned him. He suddenly felt a strong hand on his shoulder, snapping him out of his revere.
"Numbah 2," 4 said. "Where the heck are the weapons kept 'ere?"
"I don't know." 2 said numbly.
"Well, look for 'em!" 4 said. "You're the one with the bloody central controls!"
"Uh, guys, I think Mr. Bug wants to come inside." 3 said, indicating the video screen. On it was an image of the Nerd robot. It had deployed some sort of laser cutting tool, and it was using it to cut through the Antarctic base's armored walls.
"Hurry up awready!" 4 said. "Where're the darn weapons kept?"
"What's the use?" 2 said. "That thing can self-repair."
2 slumped to the floor, sighing in defeat. 4 grabbed him by the collar. "Pull ya'self together! Ah'm not goin' down without a fight, and neither should you!"
2 looked at 4. He saw the rabid determination on the Aussie's face and seemed to take heart from it. He stood up and started to tap a few commands into the terminal. After a few moments, he turned back.
"They're kept in storage in Sector A-6." 2 said. "They should still work."
"Awright." 4 said. "Let's go. We gotta set up a little welcomin' party fer that robot."
"Yay!" 3 said in a ditzy tone. "Party!"
The three of them went out of the control area. They proceeded to the door marked Sector A. The showdown was about to begin.
Author's Note: Well, that was Chapter 8. I'll get 9 out soon. Please review, they really brighten up my day.
Disclaimer: Refer to the first chapter
Chapter Title: Swarms of SQUIDs and a self-repairing SPIDR
The SHARCs, low-earth orbit
The two SHARC craft jinked and rolled, desperately trying to avoid the swarms of SQUID units. The small robots stayed on the KND craft, some of them were already latching on. Those that latched on started to drill into the SHARC's hull.
"Dang, they're on the hull!" 5 said as alarms started to sound. "And they're trying to dig in!"
1 looked at his own displays at 5's report. True enough, the displays showed several SQUID units trying to force their way into his craft. 1 threw his SHARC into a fast roll, hoping to use the centrifugal force to remove the SQUID. But the small robot didn't budge, and there were still more to worry about. []---------[]
Meanwhile, 274 and 30C were having their own problems. Ten SQUID had latched on to their craft and four of them were already inside, destroying internal parts of the SHARC.
"30C, you gotta get them off us!" 274 screamed as alarms howled in the craft.
"How?!" 30C demanded, panicked.
"There are magnetic boots and a weapon under your chair." 274 said. "Go out there and blow those suckers off our ship!"
"What? I might damage the craft further if I do that." 30C said, incredulously. "More than that, what if they come after ME!"
"Just do it!" 274 shouted.
30C stared at 274 like he was insane, but he didn't protest any further. He quickly put on the boots and hefted the beam weapon. He made sure his spacesuit's helmet was on securely before he opened the cockpit's canopy. Psyching himself up, he reluctantly pulled himself out of the craft. []---------[]
[WARNING] warbled a mechanical voice. [INTERNAL SYSTEMS SEVERELY DAMAGED]
"I know that!" 1 snapped at the SHARC's internal computer. About six SQUIDs had drilled they're way into the craft, and seven more were trying to get through. As if that wasn't enough, there were still seventeen more robots still pursuing their SHARC. And he had to try and avoid getting more on him.
"We gotta get those things off!" 5 said.
"How do you propose we do that?!" 1 yelled at her.
"How should I know?!"
[WARNING, INTERNAL SYSTEMS SEVERELY DAMAGED]
"Argh!" 1 cried out in frustration. He had to get rid of these nerd robots or hid SHARC would fall apart. However, he had no idea what to do.
The SPIDR, approaching the KND Antarctic Base
Klaus felt his robot shake violently as a projectile struck it, blowing pieces out of it. But just as suddenly as the pieces flew off, they quickly reconnected to the SPIDR. Klaus smiled, the self-repair system designed by Jane was amazing.
Another projectile from the KND base's defense grid struck the SPIDR. It still self-repaired, but Klaus didn't smile this time. The weapon had almost hit the cockpit, the one part of the SPIDR that couldn't self- repair. He had to end this now.
Using the neuro-cybernetic controls, Klaus mentally ordered the SPIDR to arm weapons. The robot responded immediately, missile launchers and gatling guns poked out of its body. Klaus mentally targeted each weapon on different parts of the defense grid before he opened fire.
Gatling guns opened up and missiles flew. The KND base was carpeted with explosions. The detonations kicked up snow and shrapnel as it boomed through the Antarctic air.
Klaus grinned as the dust cleared. The automated weapons which had fired at him lay in ruins. Pieces of them were scattered across the snowy ground.
"Vell," Klaus remarked to himself. "So much for that problem."
The SPIDR continued unhindered toward the KND base.
The SHARCs
"Eat this!" 30C muttered as he blasted the SQUID units away from the hull. "Take that you stupid machines!"
One by one he picked off the robots as he walked across the fuselage of the SHARC with magnetic boots. He walked over to the holes made by the SQUIDs that had managed to completely drill in, he fired into them. Pieces of the broken machines flew out of them.
"Hah!" 30C said triumphantly. "Got 'em."
But there were still twenty more SQUIDs pursuing the SHARC, and many of them were starting to make runs at 30C, trying to knock him off. They weren't trying to kill him since they were not programmed to kill. But, of course, 30C didn't know that.
"Oh gawd!" 30C screamed as he started shooting wildly at the SQUIDs. "Ah! Ah! Don't kill me!"
Some of his shots actually struck a few SQUIDs, but there were too many of them. One of them knocked 30C's weapon out of his hand. Finding himself weaponless, 30C hugged the fuselage of the SHARC and hung on.
"There are too many of 'em!" 30C yelled to 274.
"Don't worry." 274 said "I just got an idea."
"Well, whatever it is, just do it!"
"You better hang on, this is gonna be really close."
30C did not like the way 274 said that. It sounded like the tone the operative had used just before he rammed his aircraft into the WOLF robot. But as 30C felt the SQUIDs trying to knock him off the ship, he realized that he had no choice. []---------[]
"Numbah 1." 1 heard 274 say over the radio. "Up for a game of chicken?"
"Huh?" 1 asked, confused at first. But then, he suddenly understood what 274 was planning to do. It was gonna be close, but it just might work. "Understood, 274."
1 banked hard, out in the distance he saw 274's SHARC doing the same. The SQUIDs behind 1 followed him mindlessly. The ones already in his SHARC were doing plenty of damage, and the other robots were eager to join in. Already, pieces of his craft were flying off.
[WARNING, STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY FAILING] warbled the computer.
"Uh, Numbah 1," 5 said from the backseat. "I know I shouldn't second- guess the pilot, but WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING?!"
Apparently, she had seen where 1 was pointing the SHARC. "Don't worry," 1 said. "Me and 274 know what we're doing."
The two SHARCs rushed headlong at each other, like two bullets aimed at each other's noses. "Oh man..." 5 muttered. "Oh man, oh man, oh man..."
The SHARCs were closing the gap rapidly. The SQIUD units were right behind them...
At the last instant, 1 and 274 snapped their craft into rightward quarter spins. The two SHARCs flashed by each other, belly to belly.
The SQUID following them weren't as smart. They slammed headlong into each other, blowing up as they did. Those that didn't crash into others found themselves torn to pieces from the shrapnel of the explosions. Suddenly, there were no more SQUID units following the SHARC craft.
"YES!" 1 shouted in celebration.
"Uh, Numbah 1," 5 said from the back seat. "Aren't you forgetting some thing?"
As if in agreement, the computer said: [WARNING, STRUCTURAL FAILURE IMMINENT]
The thirteen SQUIDs that were inside 1's SHARC did their jobs. The SHARC broke apart, flinging 1 and 5 into the vacuum of space.
KND Antarctic Base
"Holy mother of chum!" 2 breathed as he saw the damage the SPIDR had wrought. He hadn't really expected the defense grid to be much help, but seeing it wiped out so easily still stunned him. He suddenly felt a strong hand on his shoulder, snapping him out of his revere.
"Numbah 2," 4 said. "Where the heck are the weapons kept 'ere?"
"I don't know." 2 said numbly.
"Well, look for 'em!" 4 said. "You're the one with the bloody central controls!"
"Uh, guys, I think Mr. Bug wants to come inside." 3 said, indicating the video screen. On it was an image of the Nerd robot. It had deployed some sort of laser cutting tool, and it was using it to cut through the Antarctic base's armored walls.
"Hurry up awready!" 4 said. "Where're the darn weapons kept?"
"What's the use?" 2 said. "That thing can self-repair."
2 slumped to the floor, sighing in defeat. 4 grabbed him by the collar. "Pull ya'self together! Ah'm not goin' down without a fight, and neither should you!"
2 looked at 4. He saw the rabid determination on the Aussie's face and seemed to take heart from it. He stood up and started to tap a few commands into the terminal. After a few moments, he turned back.
"They're kept in storage in Sector A-6." 2 said. "They should still work."
"Awright." 4 said. "Let's go. We gotta set up a little welcomin' party fer that robot."
"Yay!" 3 said in a ditzy tone. "Party!"
The three of them went out of the control area. They proceeded to the door marked Sector A. The showdown was about to begin.
Author's Note: Well, that was Chapter 8. I'll get 9 out soon. Please review, they really brighten up my day.
