episode 01

The Regulars

Sandstone pebbles and bone-dry omnium-gatherum crumbled like chalk beneath weighted metallic boots. A squad of Regulars were fanned out in a sweep of the area.

“Jupiter One, here’s something interesting.”

“What is it Three?” came the lax reply of Jupiter One.

“Found an antique – looks intact, Sir.”

Jupiter One silently scolded himself for allowing himself a moments excitement at the report. He was a true archaeologist at heart, and an intact robot from The Last Battle would be a rare find indeed. Something for the museums on Thaden or back on Price, his home-world; this was the first human expedition here since The Last Battle, and careful thought should be given to preserving this bit of history.

“Bring it in Regulars. At-ease!” This had been the order of late, signaling frequent and much needed breaks for liquids. The desert was an unforgiving place. Jupiter One ambled over to where Jupiter Three was crouched, sipping slowly from his canteen, his oxygen mask pulled out of the way below his chin.

“It’s a long-distance strider,” said Jupiter One, “Courier bot; replaced the old Mark-Two Rambler. This one was fast.” The two men squinted in silence at the strange metal contraption – crude angular construction with visible pulleys and gears and gyroscopes.

Jupiter Three finally capped his canteen and replaced his oxygen mask. “Don’t make them like they used to. Right, Sir?” said Three, referring to an old robot joke of poor taste.

“Thank goodness for that,” Jupiter One smiled, defusing the indelicate joke, “thank goodness for that.”

An audible whirring sound suddenly escaped from the robot carcass, the tinny sound of grit-bothered ball-bearings trying to re-energize a servo motor or reboot an internal drive perhaps, though it must have just been the wind whistling through the robot’s internal workings, thought Jupiter One. The low moan grew louder still, and both soldiers stood slack-jawed as they heard the sound turn into a gravelly robotic voice: “Worrrr-i-Somme.” it moaned, “Worrisome . . .”