Metal of Honor

A Metal Arms Story

Written by Verne

Part 1

Like Soldier, Like Commander

Prologue

They won't get away with this.

The solemn thought lingered in Dr. Exavolt's dark, twisted mind as he watched the Droids celebrate his defeat on his monitor. The reception had grown sparser as his ship moved farther along through the desolate reaches of space. He struggled to see what was happening through the static. The signal faded altogether, and he banged the monitor with a fist in a fit of growing frustration and rage.

"Curses!" Exavolt looked up from the screen and angrily scanned the inside of his ship. "Where the devil did you go?" he snapped, seemingly to no one at first. "Come back out at once!"

A tiny, meekly built robot hesitantly made itself known from the shadows. He approached his master on shaky little feet, swallowing down fear. Dr. Exavolt impatiently waited for the Droid to come up to him.

"Y-yes, Dr. Exavolt?" The Droid's voice trembled.

"Melvin, you rusty fool, what have you been doing?" Dr. Exavolt demanded. "Do I ever allow you to have breaks?"

Melvin quickly shook his little head. "N-no, sir, y-you don't," he stammered. "B-but seeing how upset you were earlier, I didn't think you wanted to be bothered. So I made myself sc-scarce."

"I'm STILL upset, you pathetic imbecile!" Dr. Exavolt shouted. He let out a huff, too exasperated to even continue ranting. "Whatever," he sighed. "Just fix this wretched thing. The signal's gone out again."

"R-right away, sir!"

Melvin scuttled past Exavolt to reach the monitor. He bent down to tinker with the wiring for a couple of moments. Dr. Exavolt stood and waited with his arms folded, growing impatient yet too fed up at the situation to stay angry with his servant. Melvin spent a bit more time yanking and pulling at random wires under the monitor. After one final adjustment, the screen lit up again. The Droids' celebration was still in full swing. The sight of it only made Exavolt's anger return. He violently clawed at the air, screaming with rage. Melvin was caught in the crossfire straightaway; the minute he stood, he took a hit to the face from Dr. Exavolt's swinging. His master stopped in time to see his rusty metal head spinning on its axle from the blow. Melvin managed to stop it, but it ended up backwards. Dr. Exavolt let out a tired sigh and turned his head forward for him.

"Th-thank you, sir," Melvin mumbled.

Exavolt coldly shoved him to the side, ignoring him. His attention returned to the monitor. He watched, seething with malice, as the Droids cheered over the bodies of the fallen Milbots. They'd been deactivated, single-handedly. The feed switched to General Corrosive's destroyed body. A group of Droids were crowded around his massive skeleton. The sight of Exavolt's tarnished work only deepened his anger. Decades of research and planning, of ideation and hard work, all ruined by…

The feed switched to the culprit. There he was: the one who foiled everything.

The rebel miner.

Everything came flooding back the moment Exavolt laid optics on him. The space station, the backdrop for much of his most recent work, had been infiltrated, compromised, and brought to a standstill at the hands of this yellow, gun-toting, half-ton bot. He was merely a foot soldier. One foot soldier. And yet…

You managed to destroy everything. My creation. My work. My entire bloody life.

Exavolt briefly shifted his hardened gaze from the monitor to gather himself. No. He wasn't going to allow this meddlesome young Droid to consume his mind. He wasn't going to allow the Rebellion to bask in their victory for long. He wasn't going to let them win—let him win. He had come too far, and he had lost too much. A scheming grin stretched across Dr. Exavolt's face as he considered what he was going to do next. He eventually looked back at the miner on his screen. His devious smile didn't fade, only widened.

"I'm not through with you yet, Glitch!"

A maniacal laugh escaped the Doctor's chest following his words. Melvin nervously stared at him from nearby, too afraid to disturb him any further. It wasn't long, however, before Dr. Exavolt finished up his cackling and turned in Melvin's direction.

"Y-yes, Doctor?" he piped up.

"Fasten your seatbelt," Exavolt commanded. "We're redirecting course."

"T-to where, sir?"

Dr. Exavolt turned and took a few steps with his hands formally placed behind his back. His face became calculating, borderline distant, trained intently on his latest prospects. Melvin quietly waited for his master to reveal his new plans. Almost a full minute passed before he spoke again. To Melvin's surprise, it was the calmest the Doctor had sounded in a long time. "I'd like to take a trip down memory lane," he stated.

Melvin tilted his head, confused. "W-where would that be, exactly?" he asked.

...

Their ship rerouted to Iron Star. As it came in for landing, Melvin was still expecting Dr. Exavolt to elaborate. But no matter how long he waited, the Doctor remained silent. He was no longer smiling, nor did he appear ominous. If Melvin didn't know any better, he'd have concluded that it was a look of nostalgia, or a yearning for something that no longer existed. Melvin dismissed that theory. It was Dr. Exavolt; nothing in the universe could make him feel that way. Could it? He did say he was taking a trip down memory lane. But that didn't mean he was actually missing whatever he was talking about, did it?

"Melvin!"

Exavolt's sharp calling of his name brought Melvin back to reality. He looked through the ship's single window to the outside. He had grown so busy trying to read the Doctor, he hadn't even realized they'd already touched the ground. He submissively lowered his head and began to apologize. "I-I'm terribly sorry, sir! I had no idea—"

"Just shut up and get the door," Dr. Exavolt snapped.

Melvin got quiet again and did what he was told. He unlocked the ship's door with a set of controls and opened it, allowing Dr. Exavolt to step out first before trailing behind. He noticed how they were partially cast in shadow; he looked up at the worn structures looming overhead. They appeared to be old support beams for some type of infrastructure. It dawned on Melvin that they had landed at the mouth of an old set of ruins. It was an area Melvin didn't recognize, despite having travelled to many parts of the planet as part of his work prior to the war. He used to be a contractor. He organized many building projects. He was familiar with the ruins of Iron Star, like anyone else, as they were once the bustling cities and towns that he helped to build. But despite how hard he tried to put his finger on it, he failed to recognize this place in particular. He knew he would likely get ripped into for it, but he decided to ask.

"Where are we, Dr. Exavolt?"

Upon hearing his question, Dr. Exavolt came to a halt. Melvin stopped close behind him, then quickly took a step back. It wasn't out of fear, but in surprise—of himself. For once he hadn't stuttered. Maybe his curiosity was overshadowing everything else. Even when Exavolt turned to him, he didn't feel afraid. He just genuinely wanted to know where they were and why. To his astonishment, Exavolt responded without an ounce of malice in his voice.

"This, Melvin, was my research facility."

Melvin's optics widened slightly. "Y-you mean…this was your lab?"

"Yes." Dr. Exavolt let out a sigh. "It was. What's left of it, at least."

Melvin could only gawk at him, unsure of what to say at first. "I don't understand. Why did you want to come here?"

It didn't make sense. The lab had been decimated. Melvin knew all about it just from a few of the Doctor's rants. He was on a mission to revolutionize Droid technology. In getting there, he created another robot life form: General Corrosive. But doing so came at a cost. Corrosive went on a rampage, destroying the lab, the research, and even the other scientists, reducing it all to what they were standing in now. What could possibly have been left to salvage?

Exavolt lowered his gaze. "Partially for nostalgic reasons," he said, answering Melvin's question. "This very lab is where some of my most valuable work was produced."

"Our most valuable work, rather."

The voice made them both look toward the entrance. The silhouette of an unknown Droid emerged from outside the ruin. He made his way in, revealing himself from the shadows. Melvin glanced at Dr. Exavolt, expecting him to be equally as puzzled as he was. To his surprise, however, there was a grin plastered on his face.

The Droid became fully visible as he emerged. Melvin couldn't believe what he was seeing; this robot looked shockingly similar to Exavolt himself. There were only minor differences to his design. Melvin watched—partly in anticipation, partly in fear—as the mystery Droid suddenly drew a laser cannon of some sort. He trained its infrared beam directly on Dr. Exavolt. The weapon seemed incredibly advanced; it wasn't one Melvin was familiar with. Not that he'd been around very many. Just the thought of guns scared him quite a bit. He backed away slowly, trembling. Exavolt, on the other hand, was clearly not afraid. He stood his ground, still sporting a sinister grin. In fact, it almost seemed mocking.

Melvin could tell this only annoyed the Droid further. "You're still the arrogant, egotistical bastard you were all those years ago, aren't you, brother?" he scoffed.

"B-brother?!" Melvin couldn't keep silent. This was all too much.

Dr. Exavolt chuckled. "Perhaps, Axon," he said. "And you still have your distaste for me, I see."

"What are you doing here?" Axon demanded. "First you make the world think you disappeared after creating a monster. Then you try to use that monster to rule over the entire Droid race. Aiding in a war, allowing innocent robots to be enslaved…How could you? Calling your behavior inexcusable would be the greatest understatement of the century, Exavolt. After seeing the effect you've had on Iron Star and its people, your failure couldn't be sweeter to witness."

"Oh, spare me with your self-righteousness, you dilapidated pile of garbage," Dr. Exavolt shot back. "The nerve you have, pretending like I was the only one who erased myself from the public eye. I thought you had perished in the explosion with the rest of them. I didn't hear from you until years later, and only then did I learn that you managed to escape and go into hiding. Knowing what became of you at last, I should've had you assassinated in your sleep."

"And yet you did nothing of the sort."

"I should have!" Exavolt exploded. "Why, I would've been doing you a solid, putting you out of your misery like the coward you are."

Axon suddenly lowered his weapon. He let out a long, exhausted sigh and sadly looked down at the floor. Melvin held his breath. Was he about to regret doing that?

When Axon spoke again, his voice was filled with sorrow. "I…I should have never left your side," he said. "We were scientists, of course, but, we were much more than that. We were family. Things did not have to turn out as they did."

Dr. Exavolt remained silent. Instead of retaliating, he could only stare at Axon. His brother slowly shook his head.

"I am gravely disappointed in you, Exavolt," he went on. "We were wonderful together. We all were. Or so I thought. I took pride in your brilliance. You were an inspiration to the rest of us. You figured out things that no one else could. You were always one step ahead, if not several. Our duty was to the people. We were meant to help make this world a better place, Exavolt, not destroy it."

Dr. Exavolt stayed quiet for a while longer. Within those moments, Melvin thought he noticed something change in his face. It almost seemed as if Axon's words had made an impact on him, even just slightly. But before Melvin could even try to confirm it, Exavolt had already gone back to the bot he was just seconds before. His diabolical grin and laugh returned. "Ugh, brother! You talk too much!" he griped. "Since you're so high and mighty, why don't you be so kind as to tell us what you're doing here?"

"Once news spread of the Mils' defeat, I came back home," Axon explained. "I thought I would stop here to relive memories—to think about what might have been had you not created that monster. I was not expecting to find you here. But when I did..." He glanced down at his gun, then up at Exavolt again. "I was planning to shoot you, brother," he sadly admitted. "I was planning to kill you where you stood. I was…so angry at you for everything you've done. I thought that it would bring justice not only for Iron Star, but for myself. For our siblings. But I will not do it. You are still my brother. And taking your life will not make things the way they used to be."

Exavolt listened to him. Whether he genuinely wanted to or not was difficult to discern. Melvin just couldn't tell, no matter how much he tried. Exavolt's attention was trained entirely on his former colleague, friend, and brother: Axon. At this point, Axon was in the process of putting down his weapon altogether. He disarmed it and dropped it on the floor.

"Come, Exavolt." His voice was warm and forgiving as he extended his hand. "Redeem yourself. Let us rebuild. Together. You and I."

Dr. Exavolt suddenly went up to him, slowly—calmly, even. Melvin silently witnessed it all from close behind, wondering if this was the beginning of a truce. B-but what about his new plan? he thought. Doesn't he still want to bring down the Droid Rebellion? And what about Glitch?

Exavolt stopped a few inches apart from Axon. The two of them quietly gazed straight across at each other, face to face, for the first time in decades. Exavolt met Axon's hand with his own. Axon looked down at their joined hands, then up at Exavolt again, astonished.

"You are most certainly correct, Axon." Dr. Exavolt's face suddenly darkened. "About one thing."

With his free hand, he drew a gun. Before Axon could even think to react, Dr. Exavolt shot him at point-blank range. The blast echoed through the lab ruins, and he released his brother's hand, allowing him to crumple to the floor in a pool of his own oil. Axon meekly looked up at Exavolt through his fading vision. The Doctor watched him slowly die with a sick satisfaction.

"I am always several steps ahead," he finished with a chuckle.

Axon noticed his cannon lying where he dropped it. He tried to reach for it but was already too weak.

Dr. Exavolt glanced over at Melvin. "Don't just stand there, you idiot, grab his gun!" he ordered.

Melvin's fear of the Doctor quickly returned. "Y-yes, sir," he squeaked. He hurried over and, ever so reluctantly, picked up Axon's laser cannon. He nervously held it in his arms, almost too afraid to even look at it. He really hated weapons. He began to tremble so hard that his metal was rattling.

"Ugh, you pitiful bucket of bolts, you're afraid of your own shadow," Dr. Exavolt huffed. "Never mind, just stay there and watch him while I find what I'm looking for. Blast the old fool again if he tries anything."

Melvin watched him go. He stood pitifully with the cannon, as clueless and fearful as ever. The weapon eventually grew heavy in his arms. Exavolt rushed deeper into the lab, stepping over rubble and tossing things to the side to reach whatever he was searching for. He moved farther and farther along until he vanished into the ruins' shadows.

What am I doing?

The question weighed heavily on Melvin's mind. What was he doing? Why was he following the Doctor? Why did he ever choose to become his pawn? What sort of robot would honor the wishes of someone as vile as the Doctor?

But he didn't used to be this way, Melvin protested to himself. At least, not when I worked for him before. He helped me. He could've thrown me to the scrap pile like everyone else. But he didn't.

The only thing that was able to break Melvin away from his thoughts was a strange gurgling sound. He remembered Axon and glanced down at him. Upon seeing him barely clinging to life on the ground, Melvin couldn't fight down the pit of sympathy he felt forming in his chest. To his surprise, Axon still had enough cognizance to lock eyes with him. Even more surprising was the ability he still had to form a sentence. His words, though faint and raspy, carried power just the same:

"Free… yourself…"

Melvin shook his head, conflicted. "I-I don't know how," he admitted.

Axon broke into a coughing fit. He began to choke on his own oil. Without a thought, Melvin got down on the floor to help him. He leaned Axon against himself and held him upright, hoping it would bring him relief. It seemed to work; his coughing stopped a few moments later.

Axon's gaze settled on him again. One of his optics had started to go out. It gave a final flicker before the blue glow faded altogether. He was now staring at Melvin through a single dying eye.

"The Droids are…free now. Be free like the others," he rasped.

"Tell me!" Melvin began pleading with him. "Tell me how to free myself. Tell me how, please!"

"Dr…oid…T…"

"What?"

"D…Droid Town." Axon managed to make himself more clear.

"What about it—" Melvin stopped himself when he realized. "Droid Town. Droid Town, of course!"

He quickly stood, doing everything he could to take Axon with him. He threw his arm around his shoulder and began carrying him to the lab entrance. Axon grumbled faintly. "It…will be too late," he choked out. "Exavolt will be…stronger than before…"

"Why do you say that?" Melvin asked.

"I know what he's…back there looking for." Axon drew in a shallow breath. "I was…hoping it had been destroyed with the rest of our work. If it's still there…and if he finds it…the Droid race can expect its freedom to be…short-lived. We can expect Doomsday."

"Don't worry." Melvin reassured him with a newfound voice, one that didn't tremble. "You told me to get to Droid Town, so that's where we're headed. We'll get you help, and everything's gonna be f—"

A sudden immense surge came roaring from behind. The wave of energy practically knocked Melvin and Axon over. Melvin managed to keep them both on their feet while he glanced back to see what happened. An eerie yet powerful figure rose from the depths of the lab. It was nothing more than a glowing embodiment of electric energy, an entity that felt familiar and unknown all at once. When he looked more closely, Melvin was able to just barely recognize the figure's outline. It was Dr. Exavolt. Or a version of him, rather.

"No…" Axon buckled, not from weakness, but despair. "N-no…"

The entity that was once Exavolt let out a sound that resembled an evil laugh. It was something similar to his voice, but not quite. It was monstrous—like nothing Melvin had ever heard before.

It was like nothing he'd ever witnessed.

He forced himself to turn and keep going. He carried Axon to the ship as quickly as he could. A wave of relief washed over him when it fell within sight just beyond the entrance. Once they reached it, he punched in a code on the outside panel to open the door. He jumped inside the ship with Axon at breakneck speed. He had never moved so fast in his life. He closed the door back, made sure Axon was as comfortable as he could be in his state, and started up the ship, lifting it off just in time before Dr. Exavolt unleashed an even stronger surge. The force of energy was enough to darken the skies, to vaporize everything in its path, including what remained of the old lab.

But Melvin got away.

He was now free.

And as he set course for their next destination, he grew determined to keep it that way.