Okay, this is now the fifth chapter and I know it's late and I won't make any promises about the next one it will come eventually, but I don't know when. anywho...that is not a reason why you don't review...I know some af you guys are actually reading this so, why is it so hard to click the little review button and type a few words. Gosh you can even flame me if you want, just don't expect a nice answer.

Main hangar, Space Centre, Houston, Texas 9:05 am local time

It was like the first time when the mechanical arms spoke to him. In the hospital, he had been too drowsy to understand what it meant at that time. The result had been seven dead doctors and nurses. Not until later he had realized what they had done, because he had allowed it to happen.

But this time it was different. This time he knew who was talking. It has first startled him, of course, but he got used to the new voice in his head quite fast and he discovered that he could withdraw the connection whenever he wanted, not like the connection to the actuators.

Hello.

Otto stepped closer to the Armadillo. His head was still hurting but it was not like was not used to headaches.

Hello.

Who are you?

My name is Otto Octavius.

The lights on the Armadillo flashed up and the lateral mounted arms suddenly came to life. They had claws at the end and were now extending towards Otto. Although the robot did not seem to show any intention of attacking Otto, the tentacles rose automatically and placed themselves between their host and the armadillo.

"Watch it!" Otto hissed.

What are these things? The arms of the armadillo seemed to have cameras in the middle of the claws, another thing that the NASA had obviously copied from Otto. They were now turning slightly to the right, the equivalent of tilting one's head. They were eying the actuators curiously at least that was what Otto thought they were doing. He knew from the actuators that the AI's had developed curiosity and it appeared that the AI in this robot had gone through the same development.

What is that thing?
Where does that voice come from?
What does that mean?
Father?

Otto sighed and closed his eyes, rubbing his temples. Why did things like that always happen to him? The armadillo had not moved and the tentacles and the robot continued to stare at each other.

He opened his eyes eventually.

"Okay, introduction time. Actuators, this is AI that was stolen from me and placed into this robot. Armadillo, these are the AIs from the actuators that are fused to my spine. So, there you go and now quit staring at each other."

Cute.

Otto raised an eyebrow. Cute He had heard a lot of descriptions of the arms, but cute was never an adjective that was used. The actuators seemed to be a little confused as well. Why?

They call you father, therefore they are your children and children are cute. At least that is what one of the workers said about his children. Is something wrong?

Otto was slightly startled, but smiled at that answer. He somehow sympathized with the Armadillo, he finally found someone who did not have any prejudices towards him and it felt good.

Is something wrong?

No.

You want to sit down? I can tell you the whole story.

Suddenly the door to the driver's cap opened. Otto hesitated for a moment, but then decided to give it a try and climbed into the cabin.

Truman woke up and felt wide awake. A glance at the alarm clock next to his bed told him that he had slept just about three hours. That might not be much for normal people in normal situations, but although Truman considered himself normal, this was certainly not a normal situation. He got up and troweled his jacket. It would have been a good idea to at least take of the jacket before he had lain down, but he had been too tired to think of that. He quickly combed his hair before he left his room to go to the Stampers.

He would have soon have to tell the same story he had told Octavius and although he disliked the thought of too many people knowing about the meteor it was absolutely necessary that they knew.

Arriving at Grace Stamper's quarter he took a deep breath before knocking.

"Come in!" came a happy call from inside and he stepped into the room. Grace was lying on her bed completely dressed and read a NASA brochure.

"Hello Mr. Truman, how are you? Did you sleep well?"

"Hello Miss Stamper. I am fine, thanks for asking, and I did sleep well."

"You look a lot better." She said and got up. "So? What are we doing today?"

Truman smiled at the enthusiasm of the young woman. "First we're going to wake up your father and then I will explain why we brought you here."

"Sounds good. Let';s go!" She hurried past him and out of the door. Truman looked after her before following her. Where did that woman get all the energy from? He shook his head and smiled. I wish I had so much energy.

Waking up Grace had not been a problem, if she had slept at all. Waking Harry was something completely different.

Grace had already stormed his room when Truman arrived at the man's quarter.

"GET OFF ME!" he yelled and Grace rolled off of him.

"Get up, Sleepy head!" She laughed and jumped off the bed. Harry grasped his pillow and pressed it on his head. "Leave me alone." He grumbled.

"He doesn't want to get up." Grace said sulkily to Truman.

"Mr. Stamper, I need you to get up. We still have work to do and this is not the right time to sleep. I will explain everything to you, isn't that what you wanted." He grinned at Grace and she returned the smile. Harry groaned and threw the pillow away.

"Okay, okay, I get up, but would you please wait outside till I get dressed?"

"Of course, Harry." Grace said with a lovely smile on her face. "Everything you want."

Five minutes later Grace leaned casually against the wall next to Harry's door. The waiting in her room had been pure torture and she had been so glad when Truman had knocked and now she was waiting again. Her foot began tapping to a silent tune only existing in her head and she glanced over to Truman. He was standing on the opposite wall, waiting patiently. How can he be so calm? First he bugged them with the "Urgency of the issue" and now he did not seem to bother that her father needed an eternity to get dressed. He had been a lot faster when AJ had messed up the drilling derrick again. That brought her thoughts back to the others that were still on the oil rig, probably not almost bursting from excitement.

Grace could not take it any more and jerked around to face the door. She had already lifted her hand to knock again as suddenly the door opened and Harry stood in front of her.

"A little impatient, aren't we?" he teased her.

"You always dilly-dally!" She snapped back and folded her arms.

The next hours were not the most pleasant ones Truman ever had, but at least it did not end in a disaster. After talking to Octavius Truman figured that convincing Stamper would be a lot easier and Grace seemed to be on his side. He hoped she would help him if Harry rejected.

He started with explaining the whole situation to the Stampers before he asked if Harry would help saving the world.

Harry was going to play a major role in his plan. His job would be to train the astronauts that are supposed to fly up to the meteor how to drill a hole in it. He was the best man for the job. A drilling expert with over 30 years of experience. Of course there was still a small change he would not agree, but then Truman could still ask the second best man for the job, although that would cost a lot of time and time was the last thing they had.

Truman stood in the conference room and waited patiently. The two other people in the room sat in silence, they seemed to be in shock. Grace starred down on her folded hands in her lap and Harry tried to hypnotise the opposite wall, while he murmured something.

After several minutes Truman broke the silence and said:

"So, are you going to help?" He figured the fastest way to get him to agree was direct confrontation and after several seconds he knew he was right.

Harry's gaze shifted from the wall to Truman and he nodded. Truman smiled. Another obstacle was out of the way.

The first shock was soon over, but Harry was still not sure what his task was. Truman had explained it to him, but teaching somebody how to drill a hole was not a thing that could be accomplished in just over a week and when he saw the eight astronauts he could not help but laugh.

Grace stood a little aside and watched the scene her father just made. He gestured wildly with his hands while Truman begged him to think about it again. The eight astronauts stood in a semi circle around them. None of them was older than thirty and they were all rather good looking in Grace's opinion. They looked like they were not quite sure what to think about the conversation in front of them.

"It's impossible, I am sorry." Harry repeated for the umpteenth time. "I won't think about it, Truman, 'cause I know it is impossible."

Truman sighed. He was determined to not give up, but it did not look good for him nor did it look good for anybody else on this planet.

"Would you please think about that again?" He asked again.

"Oh, Shut up!" Harry shouted. "I would be able to think if you wouldn't ask me all the time!"

Harry's mood had gone through several swings during the last few minutes. First he was amused to see these amateurs walk up to him, then he remembered the importance of the issue and what he could loose, what everybody could loose, a few seconds ago he had been annoyed and now he was angry. Angry at Truman for asking him all the time, angry at the stupid astronauts for just standing there and angry at himself for not being able to help, but then an idea crossed his mind and he became calm again.

It might be impossible to teach these green horns how to drill but maybe they do not have to drill.

"It's just this one hole?" he asked Truman, who had been silent for the last minute. He nodded. "Nothing more. Just one hole. You think you can train them?"
"No, that's impossible. I needed thirty years to become the expert I am now. I already drilled holes when some of these fellas were not even born."

Truman gave him a puzzled look. "Then what are you talking about?"

"I can drill the hole, with my men. You teach me how to get up there and I blow it up for you."; Truman opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by one of the astronauts before one single word could escape his mouth.

"We trained eight years for this one purpose."

Harry looked at him and was about to say something disapproving but Grace was faster.

"Harry, you can't do that!!" She hurried to his side and looked up at him with wide eyes and s now Truman was able to say something.

"That idea is not so bad, although it will be hard to accomplish."

The astronaut gasped."You agree with him? We trained eight years-"

" know!"; Truman interrupted him. "But complicated problems need complicated measures!!" He turned to Harry. "Are you sure you and your men will be able to go through the training?"

"But-" , came another concern from Grace but Harry gestured her to stop and laughed. "After drilling in the Alaskan Ice Desert with -4° F outside and a wind blowing with 120 mph nothing is hard enough to stop us. So, yeah!"

Truman walked along the wide corridor. He wanted to find Octavius but had no clue where the man was. Truman had looked in the hangar and the fenced area of the armadillo, but Octavius was nowhere to be found.

The solution he had worked out with Stamper was not the best he had imaged but with a little luck it would work. Harry was probably just calling his men and then they will be brought here so the medical examination and the training itself can start as soon as possible. The astronauts had not been pleased. Truman guessed they felt neglected, but he was not going to sent eight amateurs up. The team will be divided four/four. Four of Harry's men and Harry himself and four experienced astronauts plus two pilots. Ten people they had to rely on to save the world.

Truman did not want to think about it any longer. He had to find Octavius before something bad happened. He had a qualmish feeling in his stomach area as he turned around the next corner and almost collided with General Falkins.

Truman backed up a few steps. "What?" Behind Falkins were several soldiers, Truman could not make out how many. "What are you doing?" He asked in disbelief.

"We are going to arrest your friend, since you didn't send him back to New York." Falkins said with a grin on his face. He seemed to enjoy the situation.

"I gave you your chance and you disregarded a direct order, again! I should arrest you as well, but I will put mercy before justice mainly because you are doing a good job as the head of this operation."

Truman composed himself again and stepped forward.

"I told you already, you can't arrest him. He-"

Falkins pushed him aside hard and walked past him, the soldiers following him up close with their weapons at the ready..

"He is going to be arrested." Falkins shouted without turning around as he walked down the corridor.

Truman did not waste any time and followed him. Making his way past the soldiers he soon was on the same level with Falkins again.

"I won't allow you to arrest him. He is not only able to help us he also agreed to help us." Truman tried to pursue Falkins but he seemed determined. They turned around a corner and entered another corridor. On wall had now windows that allowed Truman to look down onto the activities down in the hangar. Falkins increased his pace and Truman knew why as he looked down the corridor again.

Falkins had spotted Octavius.

He was only about twenty meters away and he did not seem to have noticed Falkins and the soldiers. He had his hands in his pockets, his tentacles where no where under his coat. He looked through the window down in the hangar.

Truman tried one last time. "General Falkins, I beg you. Don't do it!"

Only ten meters.

Falkins gave him a quick look with an evil grin, then he fixed his gaze on Octavius again.
"Now!" He shouted and on his command the soldiers surrounded Octavius in a perfect semi circle and aimed their weapons at him.

Now Octavius finally turned around. Truman was surprised to see him so perfectly calm, but he could not tell if that was a good or a bad sign.

Falkins stepped forward into the semi circle and faced Octavius, he still had the same grin on his face. Truman could feel how all the hope that had built up the last few hours slipped away as he watched Falkins.

"Doctor Otto Octavius, you are under arrest!"

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